Lady Panthers fall @ Lumpkin 69-35
Lady Panthers, TeamFYNSports, Union County Panthers January 26, 2021
Dahlonega, Georgia- The Lady Panthers (2-4) traveled to Dahlonega to face the Lumpkin County Indians (14-4) in a non region matchup. The Lady Panthers are coming off a loss to Rabun County from the Friday night.
First Quarter
The Lady Panthers got off to a bad start, turning the ball over on their first possession. On their. 3rd possession, Junior Rebekah Chambers would make a mid range jumper to put the Lady Panthers up 4-0. The Lady Panthers were doing a great job pressuring the ball defensively to start the game. Junior Ava Hunter would find Sophomore Corinne Hill, as she would put the Lady Panthers up 6-0. The Indians would answer quickly as Senior Makenzie Caldwell would make a deep 2 pointer. The Indians would answer quickly off a Panthers turnover to cut the lead to 2 and then tie it up after another Panthers turnover. Sophomore Ellie Cook would get fouled on a 3 and she would make all 3 free throws to put the Panthers up 9-6. The Indians would answer right back with a deep 3 by Sophomore Mary Mullinax. The Indians would take their first lead up 11-9, as the Panthers would turn the ball over again, forcing the Lady Panthers to use a timeout. The Lady Panthers offense was starting to turn the ball over more and more as the Indians offense started to heat up. The Indians would score 5 straight points to end the 1st quarter to extend their lead 16-9.
Second Quarter
The Panthers offense would still struggle as the Indians offense was still on fire. The Lady Panthers quickly became down 25-10, as the Indians were scoring on almost every Panther turnover. Ava Hunter scored to stop the Indian scoring run. The Indians quickly added on another 3 pointer on the next possession. Assistant Coach Mandy Hunter called timeout after the Indians extended their lead 30-14. The Lady Panthers had almost no answers for the Indian offense as they were scoring so many points off of turnovers. The Lady Panthers trailed 38-16 at halftime. 
Third Quarter
Ava Hunter got things started for the Lady Panthers with a quick midrange jumper to cut the lead. The Lady Panthers would play great defense and Ava Hunter woulds draw a foul on the other end. The Indian offense would get rolling again as the Lady Panther offense would begin its struggles again. Ava Hunter had a big quarter offensively but the Lady Panthers still struggled to keep up with the Indian offense. The Lady Panthers trailed 51-27 to end the 3rd quarter.
Fourth Quarter
The Lady Panthers struggles continued as the Indians were firing on all cylinders and shooting lights out. The Lady Panthers had a hard time stopping Freshman Averie Jones as she was lights out from 3 point range throughout the game. The Lady Panthers would fall 69-35. The Lady Panthers will travel to Banks County for their second region matchup of the season. The game will begin at 6:00.
Lady Panthers fall to Lady Rebels, 58-47 on Saturday
Lady Panthers, Sports, TeamFYNSports December 13, 2020
Blue Ridge, Georgia- The Lady Panthers (1-2) traveled to Fannin County to face the Lady Rebels (5-2) on Saturday. The Lady Panthers had 2 games scheduled during the week but were both canceled due to COVID issues on the visiting teams.
First Half
The Lady Panthers got off to a slow start to begin the game, having a tough time stopping Junior Becca Ledford. The Lady Panthers also had a hard time getting any rhythm on offense as they turned the ball over multiple times and had a tough time breaking the half court press. A quick 13-4 start by the Lady Rebels forced the Lady Panthers to call a timeout and switch things up. Courtney Davis, who is a rising freshman for the Lady Rebels was making huge shots throughout the game, forcing the Lady Panthers to stop both Ledford and Davis, which is a hard task to do. The odds just weren’t in favor of the Lady Panthers as the easy shots that the usually go in, weren’t as the struggles on offense continued. It was all Lady Rebels to end the first quarter, up 20-8. To begin the second half, the Lady Panthers tried to get Junior Ava Hunter going on offense but it was tough as she was triple teamed in the paint. The Lady Panthers scored 8 straight to cut the lead to 4. The Panthers later tied the game as the defense really stepped up. Both teams were struggling to make shots but both teams were playing great defense, forcing up bad shots by both teams. To end the half, the Lady Rebels led 23-22.
Second Half
To begin the second half, the Lady panthers forced 3 quick turnovers and took a 2 point lead. After the Lady Panthers took the lead, the Lady Rebels went back to the half court press, which is what the Lady Panthers were struggling to break. The Lady Panthers turned the ball over 2 straight times after the Lady Rebels went back to the half court press. The Lady Panthers were turning the ball over time and time again. They were also struggling getting the ball in and getting it past half court due to the press. As the Lady Panthers were turning the ball over, the Lady Rebels were scoring each time. Once a close game, the Lady Rebels quickly extended their lead to 8. To end the 3rd quarter, the Lady Rebels led 42-35. To begin the 4th quarter, the Lady Panthers kept things close but went back to turning the ball over and the Lady Rebels capitalizing each time. The Lady Rebels quickly extended their lead to 11 with 4 minutes left in the game. The Lady Panthers would not be able to come back as they fall 58-47 to the Lady Rebels. Junior Ava Hunter and Junior Rebecca Chambers led the Lady Panthers. Junior Becca Ledford and Freshman Courtney Davis led the Lady Rebels. The Lady Panthers fall to 1-3.
Lady Panthers fall to Lady Indians 64-44, on Saturday
Lady Panthers, Sports, TeamFYNSports, Union County Panthers December 7, 2020
Toccoa, Georgia- The Lady Panthers (1-2) traveled to Toccoa, Georgia to face the Stephens County Indians (4-1). The Lady Indians are coming off a big season last year and returning a lot of seniors. The Lady Panthers are still young and trying to find a rhythm to start the season.
The Lady Panthers got off to a rough start, having a shot blocked and turning the ball over to start the game’s first two possessions. Junior Ava Hunter got the Panthers on the board as she would draw some fouls and get to the line multiple times in the first quarter. The Lady Panthers’ defense was having a hard time stopping the Lady Indians, who could shoot from all over. The Panthers weren’t doing themselves any favors, turning the ball over as the Indians would score on most those turnovers. To end the first quarter, the Lady Panthers were down 17-13. To start the second quarter, the same issues were happening for the Lady Panthers, turning the ball over and giving the Indians chances for a lot of 3 point plays due to fouling on layups or midrange shots. To close the half, the Panthers were starting to score and cut the lead to 5, as the Indians were turning the ball over a lot towards the end of the quarter. The Panthers cut the lead to 30-25 at halftime. The Panthers got off to a great start in the second half, getting a turnover and getting 2 quick points from Freshman Lara Turner. The Lady Panthers would go back to turning the ball over, turning it over 3 times in back to back to back possessions. The Indians would go on a quick 10-0 run, forcing the Lady Panthers to call timeout. The Indians would keep scoring and keep their foot on the gas, pushing their lead to 11, up 46-35 at the end of the 3rd quarter. The Indians would go on a 13-3 run to start the 4th quarter. The Lady Panthers would fall to the Indians, 64-44. The Lady Panthers were led by Junior Ava Hunter and Sophomore Ellie Cook. The Lady Indians were led by Senior Tynajiah Eades ands Senior Ranajah Verdell.
The Lady Panthers fall to 1-3. The Lady Panthers host Tallulah Falls on Tuesday, December 7 @ 6:00.
Lady Panthers fall in double OT to Lady Indians in first game of season.
Sports, Team FYN Sports, TeamFYNSports November 25, 2020
Blairsville, Georgia- Tuesday night, The Lady Panthers hosted the Towns County Indians for both teams’ first game of the season. Union is starting the season starting a lot of young players after losing a lot of key seniors from last year. The Lady Panthers are looking to keep the winning streak going against the Lady Indians as they won both matchups last year.
Both teams started the game fouling. After that, both teams settled in with Union scoring first on a corner 3 by Sophomore Ellie Cook. Towns matched that with a 3 by Kennedi Henson on the next possession and another 3 by Sarah Shook. Throughout the first quarter, the scoring was back and forth but Union led by 1, 11-10 at the end of the first. Union started the second quarter with 2 quick fouls. The scoring was again, back and forth but it was a low scoring second quarter. Neither team could get any points on the board. At the half, Union led 16-13.
To begin the third quarter, the scoring was again back and forth. The Lady Indians were spreading the ball around and multiple players were scoring. The Lady Indians held Junior Ava Hunter to 4 points through 3 quarters. The fourth quarter was very close, each team being very aggressive with the scoring going back and forth. Throughout the game, no one had a lead bigger than 3. Early in the fourth quarter, Cook fouled out, which hurt the Lady Panthers offensively and defensively. That made Junior Ava Hunter have to step up. She stepped up big, scoring 11 points in the fourth quarter. Sophomore Corinne Hill had a key steal that put the Lady Panthers up by 1 late in the fourth. Late in the fourth both teams had a chance to score and win the game. Tied 36-36 coming out of a Towns timeout with 25 seconds left, the Lady Panthers defense held strong and stole the ball but couldn’t handle the ball enough to get a good shot off. The led us to the first overtime.
In the first overtime, it was very close and the Lady Panthers were led by sophomore Corinne Hill, scoring 4 points. The Lady Indians stole the ball late, forcing a jump ball and the Lady Indians gained possession. The Lady Indians had a chance to win but missed the shot as time ran out. In the second overtime, the Lady Panthers just held the ball to find a good shot and run time off the clock. The Indians would steal the ball away but due to great hustle by Junior Ansley Collins, she hit the ball out of bounds before the Lady Indians could get a shot up. Late in the second overtime, Junior Rebekha Chambers scores but is called for a charging foul so the basket doesn’t count. Still tied, Hunter is fouled and takes 1-2 free throws to give the Panthers the lead 41-40. She is fouled again and makes 1-2 again to extend the lead 42-40. The Lady Indians, Senior Vanessa Floyd quickly scores and ties it at 42. Union ends up fouling with 23 seconds left and Floyd makes 1-2 free throws to make it 43-42 Towns, Union rebounds the ball with 9 seconds left and misses the game winning shot.
The Lady Panthers lose their first game of the season, 43-42. Junior Ava Hunter led the Lady Panthers in scoring, scoring 15 points. The Lady Panthers host Gilmer County on Tuesday, December 1.