Panthers knock off Cowgirls, 42-28
Through the first three games of the season the Concordia Panthers were solid defensively but struggled to score points.
Concordia, in a loss to Marysville last Tuesday night, found some rhythm on offense, but was not as sound on the defense end.
The Panthers then put it all together to pick up their first win of the season by defeating Abilene 42-28 Friday in the Concordia Junior-Senior High School gymnasium.
“I thought this was the first time we played four quarters all the way through,” Concordia coach Trey Kuhlman said.
Concordia, now 1-4 overall and 1-1 in the North Central Kansas League, will play its final game prior to semester break at Clay Center on Tuesday night.
“We talked about how we started out 0-4, but record doesn’t always reflect how well the girls truly are playing. They just needed a win to get that feeling going, and no way to do it better than two games before Christmas,” Kuhlman said. “Hopefully we can come out Tuesday and play hard and steal one at Clay Center.”
There were five lead changes in the first 3:30 of the game.
Concordia was down 6-5 when Taylor McDaniel scored inside and Hattie Blackwood knocked down her second three-point shot of the game to make it a 10-6 game.
Blackwood hit her first three attempts from three-point range and scored all of her career-high 11 points in the first half to help set the offensive tone for the Panthers.
“Her being confident and making shots for us right off the bat, I thought that got all of us going offensively and defensively,” Kuhlman said.
Abilene’s Zoey Debenham sandwiched a pair of three-point baskets around a bucket by Concordia’s Ciana DeLeon, and the game was tied at 12-12 heading into the second quarter.
A third three by Blackwood put the Panthers on top to stay, 15-12, early in that second period.
Concordia connected on five of 10 three-point attempts in the game.
The Panthers led by as many as six points, and was up 21-16 at halftime.
Claira Dannefer scored the first two points of the second half for Abilene to cut the deficit to three points, 21-18.
The Panthers responded with a three by Hanna Acree, a basket by Erinae Flesher and then a three by Rylie Jessup to take a 29-18 advantage.
“We have had some slow starts coming out of halftime, and it was an 8-2 run to extend the lead,” Kuhlman said.
Abilene would outscore Concordia 7-2 over the final four minutes of the third quarter to close the gap to 31-25.
Callie Powell made one of two free throws early in the fourth quarter, and the Cowgirls were down 31-26.
Abilene would then go more than 5:30 without scoring.
A layup by DeLeon started a 7-0 spurt by Concordia that upped the lead to 38-26.
The only other two points for the Cowgirls in the period were two free throws by Adin Bruna with 1:24 to play.
“When you can limit teams in the fourth quarter to three points you like your chances as a coach,” Kuhlman said. “We want to keep teams to mid 30s and we gave up 28. Defense wins ballgames, that is our philosophy.”
The Panthers made four of six free throws over the final minute to finish off the win.
Led by Blackwood, the Panthers had seven players score in the game.
McDaniel and Jessup scored seven points each and DeLeon added six.
Dannefer paced Abilene with 11 points and Debenham scored 10.
ABILENE (28)
Bruna 0-2-4 2, Johnson 1-0-1 2, Debenham 3-1-4 10, Dannefer 5-1-4 11, Walter 1-0-4 2, Bathurst 0-0-1 0, Powell 0-1-1 1. Totals: 10-5-20 28.
CONCORDIA (42)
Bethune 0-0-1 0, DeLeon 3-0-4 6, Acree 1-2-0 5, Flesher 1-0-1 2, Jessup 1-4-2 7, Blackwood 4-0-1 11, Cash 0-4-1 4, Meyer 0-0-2 0, McDaniel 3-1-4 7. Totals: 13-11-16 42.