Panthers beat Lumpkin 55-53 on last second defensive stand

Blairsville, Georgia- The Union County Panthers basketball team hosted the Lumpkin County Indians in a non region matchup.

First Quarter

Both teams had a hard time scoring to begin the game due to very aggressive defense by both teams. The Indians got on the board first with a 3 pointer to take a 3-0 lead. Lake Hughes responded with a 3 pointer to tie the game at 3. The Indians scored while being fouled and made the following free throw to take a 6-3 lead. Houston Henry was fouled and made 1/2 free throws to cut the deficit to 6-4. Caleb John stole the ball and scored to tie the game at 6. The Indians scored to retake an 8-6 lead. Jude Ellis responded with a 3 pointer to give the Panthers a 9-8 lead. After a quick missed shot following a timeout, the Indians responded with another 3 pointer to take a 11-9 lead. The game had a very fast pace to it and no easy shots were taken by either team. Hayden Payne was fouled and made both free throws to tie the game at 11. Lake Hughes started a fast break and assisted John as he scored to give the Panthers back the lead, 13-11. Following another made 3 pointer, the Indians took back the lead but Payne quickly scored to give the Panthers a 15-14 lead. Daniel Snow was fouled at the end of the quarter and made 1/2 free throws to give the Panthers a 16-14 lead to end the first quarter.

Second Quarter

Eli Underwood quickly got the Panthers’ offense going as he scored to extend the lead to 18-14. After a missed 3 by the Panthers, the Indians made 1/2 free throws to cut the lead to 18-15. Snow made a 3 pointer to extend the Panther lead to 21-15. Ellis stole the ball away and scored to give the Panthers a 23-15 lead after another impressive euro step. John made an impressive no look pass to Snow, and Snow scored to extend the lead to 25-15. Hughes got the rebound after a missed shot by the Indians, but the ball was stolen away and the Indians scored to make the score 25-17. The Indians scored to cut the deficit to 25-19, but Hughes responded and extended the Panthers’ lead to 27-19. Hughes scored again to make the score 29-19 but the Indians responded but missed the following free throw after being fouled. Hughes made 1/2 free throws after being fouled but the Indians made 2 quick 3 pointers to cut the deficit to 30-25. Hayden Hughes responded with a 3 pointer to extend the lead to 33-25. The Indians made both free throws following a foul by the Panthers to make the score 33-27. The Panthers led 33-27 at halftime.

Third Quarter

Right out of the gate, the Indians made a 3 to cut the lead to 33-30. The Panthers had 3 straight possessions where they did not score that included a missed layup, but Hughes got the Panthers on the board with a deep 3 to make the score 36-30. The Indians responded with a deep 3 to cut the Panther lead to 36-33 but Hughes responded with another deep 3 pointer to extend the Panther lead to 39-33. Following a foul by the Panthers, the Indians made both free throws to cut the deficit to 39-35. The Panthers were starting to get in foul trouble midway through the 3rd quarter. Hughes was fouled and made 1/2 free throws to extend the lead to 40-35. Hughes made his third 3 pointer of the quarter and his 10th point of the quarter to extend the Panther lead to 43-35. The Indians quickly responded to end the Panthers run and make the score 43-37. Snow scored following a timeout to extend the lead to 45-37. The Indians cut the score to 45-42 following another 3 pointer and a quick turnover by the Panthers that led to a score. Snow scored, but the Indians made a deep 2 to cut the lead to 45-44. The Panthers turned the ball over and the Indians made a deep 2 to take their first lead of the half 46-45. The Indians led 46-45 at the end of the 3rd quarter.

Fourth Quarter

The Panthers took a 48-46 lead after making 1/2 free throws and getting a rebound and scoring. John missed a layup but got his own rebound and scored to give the Panthers some momentum and make the score 50-46. The Panthers were getting in more foul trouble after 4 quick fouls were called on the Panthers. After a missed shot by the Panthers, the Indians made a 3 to cut the lead to 50-49. Hughes responded with a layup to extend the Panther lead to 52-49. Both Houston Henry and Austin Taylor fouled out in the fourth quarter. The Indians cut the deficit to 52-51 after both fouled out. Following a Panther turnover, the Indians scored to take a late 53-52 lead. Underwood made the game winning 3 pointer with a minute remaining. The Indians had multiple chances to score within the last minute of the game, but the Panther defense had their best minute of the season so far. The Indians missed the game tying shot and the Panthers won 55-53. The Panthers traveled to White County and lost 53-39. The Panthers’ record falls to 2-5. The Panthers will travel to Habersham on Tuesday, host Towns County on Friday and travel to Fannin County on Saturday.