Fourth quarter surge pushes Panthers past Tigers, 56-42
Putting together a 12-0 run to seize control in what had been a back and forth game, the Concordia Panthers knocked off Clay Center 56-42 in a North Central Kansas League matchup Tuesday night in the Concordia Junior-Senior High School gymnasium.
Concordia trailed Clay Center 33-32 early in the fourth quarter.
Pounding the ball into the paint, the Panthers scored 12 unanswered points in less than three minutes to go up 44-33.
Clay Center would get no closer than nine points over the final three minutes in the first game back from semester break for both teams.
Concordia, now 2-4 overall and 2-1 in league play, took a 32-31 lead in the game when Jacob Rosenbaum knocked down a three-point shot late in the third quarter.
A basket by Isaac Lee 27 seconds into the final period gave Clay Center the lead back at 33-32.
Chas Carlgren grabbed an offensive rebound and scored with 7:03 remaining in the game to ignite the decisive 12-0 spurt by Concordia.
Carlgren, who led all scorers with 18 points, tossed in eight of those during the run.
All 12 of the Panthers' points came on shots in the lane.
“We attacked. We didn't turn the ball over, and we shot the ball close to the basket,” Concordia coach Michael Roe said of the stretch that gave Concordia control of the game, “We just wanted to try to get it in there (lane), but for the first three quarters it was rough, but we came through.”
Concordia connected on 63 percent (15 of 24) of its two-point field goal attempts in the game, and overcame 28 turnovers.
“When you are turning it over you don't get a lot of flow. We finally got a little rhythm in what we were doing and kept it up,” Roe said.
Clay Center, 0-6 overall and 0-3 in the league, ended the Concordia surge when Witt Williams made one of two free throws to make it a 44-34 game with 3:01 to play.
Concordia answered with a basket by Chase Parker, and led 46-34.
Tanner DeMars, who led the Tigers with 16 points, made one of two free throws. He missed the second, but Jaret Pfizenmaier scored off an offensive rebound, and it was a 46-37 game with 1:41 remaining.
Attempting to close things out, the Panthers missed on three of four free throw attempts, but came up with offensive rebounds on two of them.
Clay Center continued to foul to extend the game, and Concordia connected on 8 of 10 from the line over the final 1:07 to secure the win.
Carlgren, who also had six rebounds and three steals, led three Concordia players in double figures.
Rosenbaum finished with 14 points, six rebounds and five assists.
Wyatt Trost added 10 points, seven rebounds, four assists and four steals.
Concordia hit 19 of 40 field goal attempts for 48 percent and 14 of 20 free throws for 70 percent.
Williams joined DeMars in double figures for the Tigers with 12 points.
Clay Center jumped out to a 7-2 lead to start the game, and was up 13-8 late in the first half.
A three by Rosenbaum pulled Concordia within two points, 13-11, going into the second quarter.
Trost scored on a follow to tie the game at 13-13 22 seconds into the second period.
Concordia would fall behind 17-13, but got a three by Carlgren and a layup by Rosenbaum to go up 18-17.
“I thought Rosenbaum did a nice job of stepping up and trying to drive the basketball. I thought he had a nice game,” Roe said.
The Panthers led 22-19, but went the final 3:03 of the first half without scoring.
Clay Center tossed in five points, and led 24-22 at the break.
Concordia would trail the first 7:07 of the third period.
Jacob Williams made one of two free throws and Rosenbaum connected on a three to put the Panthers on top 32-31.
Clay Center grabbed the lead back early in the fourth quarter before Concordia seized control.
The Panthers travel to Wamego for a league game on Friday night.
CLAY CENTER (42)
Lee 3-0-1 7, Glavan 0-0-3 0, Glaves 1-0-0 2, Pfizenmaier 1-0-5 2, Frederick 1-0-3 3, Williams 3-4-3 12, Ferguson 0-0-3 0, DeMars 7-1-2 16, Rosenow 0-0-1 0. Totals: 17-5-20 42.
CONCORDIA (56)
Trost 3-3-1 10, Cav Carlgren 0-4-3 4, Williams 0-2-0 2, Owen 1-0-2 2, Rosenbaum 4-4-2 14, Chas Carlgren 8-1-4 18, Parker 3-0-1 6. Totals: 19-14-15 56.