Panthers break 20 game losing streak on the road beating Habersham Central 65-61

Sports, Team FYN Sports, Union County Panthers

Mt Airy, Georgia- The Union County Basketball team traveled to Habersham Central High School to take on the Raiders in a non region matchup. This will be the second meeting between teams this season.

First Quarter

Lake Hughes got the Panthers on the board first as he scored after missing 2 shots and getting both rebounds. The Raiders quickly responded to tie the game at 2. The Raiders took a 5-2 lead after a made a 3 but Hughes immediately responded with a 3 to tie the game at 5. The Raiders pushed the ball up the court quick and scored to take a 7-5 lead. Both teams took turns missing a couple of shots due to good defense by both teams. Jude Ellis made 2 straight 3 pointers to give the Panthers a 11-7 lead. Hughes also made a 3 to give the Panthers a 14-7 lead as the Panthers were on a quick 9-0 run. Following a missed 3 by the Raiders, the Raider player got the rebound and scored to end the Panther run and cut the lead to 14-9. Daniel Snow was fouled after getting the rebound following a miss and made both free throws to give the Panthers a 16-9 lead. The Panthers led 16-9 at the end of the first quarter after both offenses went quiet to end the quarter.

Second Quarter

After getting fouled, the Raiders made both free throws to begin the quarter to cut the lead to 16-11. The Raiders picked up another foul and made 1/2 free throws to make the score 16-12. Ellis made a corner 3 to score his 9th point of the half but the Raiders quickly responded with a mid range jumper to make the score 19-14. Following a foul on a fast break, the Raiders made both free throws to make the score 19-16. Snow got his shot blocked and got the ball back and scored to give the Panthers a 21-16 lead. Following a missed 3 pointer by the Raiders, Ellis made an impressive fadeaway floater to extend the Panthers lead to 23-16. The Raiders pushed the ball up the court quickly and scored but Ellis made another corner 3 to extend the Panthers lead to 26-16. After4 straight points by the Raiders and a turnover by the Panthers, Ellis made a step back 3 to extend the Panthers lead to 29-20 and score his 11th point of the quarter. The Raiders responded again and scored 4 quick points. The Raiders were pushing the ball up quickly to catch the Panthers off balance. Following 2 made free throws, the Raiders cut the Panther lead to 29-26. Hayden Payne scored to give the Panthers a 31-26 lead and slow down the Raiders momentum. After a missed 3 by Ellis and a turnover, the Raiders made a 3 and scored after getting fouled to tie the game at 31. The game was tied at 31.

Third Quarter

After a turnover by the Raiders, Caleb John was fouled and made both free throws to give the Panthers a 33-31 lead. Following the Raiders 2nd turnover in a row, Hughes made a 3 to extend the lead to 36-31. The Raiders scored their 1st points of the half to cut the lead to 36-33. Following a foul by the Panthers after a turnover, the Raiders made both free throws to cut the Panther lead to 36-35. Payne was fouled and made both free throws to extend the Panther lead but the Raiders immediately responded to cut the lead back to 1, 38-37. The Raiders took their first lead of the half 42-38, after a made corner 3 and 2 made free throws. Payne responded and Hughes made a 3 to give the Panthers a 43-42 lead. The Raiders tied the game at 43 after making 1/2 free throws. Hughes made both free throws to give the Panthers a 45-43 lead but the Raiders responded immediately and tied the game at 45. Hughes scored again to give the Panthers a 47-45 lead but again, the Raiders responded and tied the game at 47. Hughes scored his 10th straight point to give the Panthers the lead again, 50-47. The Raiders made 1/2 free throws to cut the Panther lead to 50-48 and Houston Henry made a 3 to extend the Panther lead to 53-48. Both teams defenses picked up the aggressiveness to end the quarter. The Panthers led 53-48 to end the third quarter.

Fourth Quarter

The Raiders got on the board first after a turnover by the Panthers to start the quarter to cut the Panther lead to 53-50. The Raiders scored again off of another Panther turnover to cut the Panther lead to 1, 53-52. After a foul by the Panthers, the Raiders made 1/2 free throws to tie the game at 53. Hughes made both free throws to give the Panthers a 55-53 lead. Following a Raider turnover, Hughes scored but the Raiders quickly responded again to make the score 57-55. After multiple missed shots by the Panthers in one possession, the Raiders scored to tie the game at 57. After 2 great defensive possessions by the Panthers, Payne scored to give the Panthers a 59-57 lead. After a foul, the Raiders made 1/2 free throws to make the score 59-58. Hughes, scoring his 6th point of the quarter, extended the Panther lead to 61-58. Ellis was fouled and made both free throws to give the Panthers a 61-58 lead but the Raiders responded to cut the lead to 1, 61-60. The Panthers were fouled multiple times and made their free throws to win the game 65-61. The Panthers ended their 20 game losing streak on the road. Their 2021 record is now 3-5. The Panthers will host Towns County on Friday and travel to Fannin County on Saturday.

 

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