By Allen Hamrick
The Panther basketball team continued their domination of the hardwood this past week as they displaced two teams who had no intention of losing to the Panthers. However, the Panthers had a different play book to read.
This season is one of the best teams that has ever played at CCHS. They are fast, can shoot, and their defense is unbearable to the opposition. The first team to have to open the Band-Aids was the Grizzlies of Nicholas County, and there is no love lost between the two teams. The Grizzlies always bring their ground and pound style of basketball to the courts and generally take away the king of the court title. Not this time.
The Panthers came out with one thing on their mind, and it wasn’t biscuits and gravy. By the time the first period ended, the Grizzlies’ jaws hit the floor as the Panthers racked the points on the boards outscoring them 27-19. Guitars should have been provided as the Grizzlies sang the blues. The second period was a little more even as the Panthers took a powder and eased up on the scoring. At the half the score laid 44-34 Panthers. When the Grizzlies came out for the second half no amount of Hallmark cards could have prepared them for what was about to happen.
Christmas was indeed over as a thunderstorm hit the gym in the form of Panther defense. The Grizzlies could only manage 13 points the rest of the game as the Panthers rolled to the win by the score of Panthers 82- Grizzlies 47.
Next up was the Roane County Raiders who were ranked at the beginning of the game but not so sure about afterwards. This game would prove to be a little different than the last. The Raiders have a solid game that is well coached and well played and executed. The Panthers came out once again firing on all cylinders and hitting for 17 in the first period. The Raiders were close behind with 13 of their own.
In the second, the Raiders outscored the Panthers by three as the Panthers took a coffee break. At the half, it was all tied up and the game was looking like it would go to the last second. Then the third period started, and it was utter chaos for the Raiders. The Panthers came out with a full court press that looked more like the Raiders had the only cheeseburger in the house and the Panthers were starving. Even though the pressure was on, the Raiders still managed to hold their own, but their organized game was gone. It was all for one and one for all, shoot and hope, and swing for the fences because normal basketball left the building with Elvis.
It was a crazy 3rd period and both teams were still close at 44-43 Panthers. Then the Panthers came off their coffee break and proceeded with a well-coached and well executed annihilation of the Raiders. With full court pressure and a heavy touch at the net, the Panthers hit for 28 points in the fourth to take down the mighty Raiders by the score of 72-61.
It was a great game, not just because we won but because both teams brought an all-out game to the court. It was a great week for the Panthers as they continue to roll on. Shout outs go to the stage band for providing the tunes and the CCHS Pit for providing the intensity. The Panthers will be on the road at Calhoun and back home again next Friday against Doddridge. Go Panthers!
