by Steve Bradley
The Panthers hosted the Cambridge Indians last Friday in the Panther Den. The Panthers were not very gracious hosts as they dominated the Indians from the opening tip, jumping out to a 22 – 2 lead and cruising to a 79 – 31 win. With the starters spending much of the game enjoying the view from the bench, everyone scored. Josh Wood had seven points, Andrew Hoag and Justin Lynch added six each. Levi Brewster had four. Jake Nolan dropped in a three-pointer. Austin Pitt scrapped his way to ten points, with Noah Chani adding 13. Will Bradley scored 14, and Mark Hackett put 16 points in the books.
On Tuesday the Panthers travelled down Route 67 to Stillwater. Hoosick Falls played well in the first two quarters and owned a 31 – 18 lead at the half. After the break, things became more difficult for the Panthers, and the Warriors began chipping into the Panther lead. The Warriors got the lead down to 10 or 11 a couple of times only to have the Panthers pull away. Then they would get it back down, finally getting it down to nine points with five minutes left in the game. From there, the Panthers pulled out a 16 point lead and kept the lead for the remainder of the game, winning 65 – 51.
Austin Pitt scored 18 points in the victory. Andrew Hoag added 17, going 10 of 11 from the foul line. Will Bradley added 14, 12 of those points on three-pointers. Noah Chani and Mark Hackett each added eight.
Two Big Games Ahead
On Friday the Panthers (15 -1, 13-0) will host the Hoosic Valley Indians. This is a big game. With a victory, the Panthers will be WASAREN League champions, having gone undefeated against all league foes. Hoosic Valley (15-2, 12-1) has lost one league game, that coming at the hands of the Panthers earlier in the season. The Panthers defeated the Indians 43 – 42 in a real nail biter on the Hoosic Valley court. The game came down to the last couple of seconds. The Indians have a couple of excellent players, John Rooney and Mike Pierre. These two players also have good players supporting them.
Game time for the JV is 6 pm. The varsity game will follow immediately after, usually about 7:20 pm. It will be a good idea to arrive early for this game. Hoosic Valley fans are very supportive of their team, and, combined with the importance of this game, there should be a big crowd. Our Panthers can use all the support they can get for this one. It’s a great excuse to get out after being stuck in the house away from the snow and the cold. Come out and add to the noise and show your support. There is no admission charge.
Next Tuesday, February 11, the Panthers will be at home against Mt. Anthony of Bennington. Although there is no league title on the line, this is always a big game. The Mt. Anthony Patriots dealt the Panthers their only loss this season by a score of 70 – 56. The Panthers will be looking to even the series and the home court will be a big help in achieving this. The Patriots always bring plenty of fans so arriving early will be a good idea.
These two games conclude regular season play for the Panthers. Sectional play, according to the HFCS website, is scheduled to begin Tuesday, February 18.