Panthers weather late push by Eagles to post 46-45 win

With just over two minutes remaining in the game it appeared as if the Concordia Panthers were sailing toward a comfortable victory over the Clifton-Clyde Eagles.
Things got a little bumpy down the stretch, and the Panthers had to weather a frantic final few seconds to hold off the Eagles 46-45 Tuesday night in the Concordia Junior-High School gymnasium.
Clifton-Clyde had cut a 16-point second half deficit to just six points, 41-35, when Sevy Wurtz made a layup.
A three-point shot by Charlize Cash and a basket by Cianna DeLeon upped Concordia’s lead to 46-35 with 2:10 on the clock.
Clifton-Clyde rallied to within point and had a chance to tie the game, but Shea Wurtz missed a free throw with 1.8 seconds remaining and Concordia escaped with the win.
“The girls felt great, it was another win for us. It is just understanding how to handle pressure. In late game situations we just have got to slow ourselves and calm down and handle the hard times,” Concordia coach Trey Kuhlman said.
Concordia, now 4-10, rode hot three-point shooting to a 27-16 halftime lead.
The Panthers connected on six of eight attempts from behind the arc in the first half with Hanna Acree and Kinsleigh Bethune making three each.
“All of our girls are actually shooting with confidence and everyone is trusting them to shoot the basketball. And when you can do that good things happen,” Kuhlman said.
Concordia, scoring the first four points of the second half, led 31-16.
Shea Wurtz scored for Clifton-Clyde, but Acree drilled her fourth three of the game to make it 34-18.
Acree led Concordia with 14 points and Bethune added nine.
Concordia took a 37-22 lead into the fourth quarter.
Mylee Hammond hit a pair of threes as the Eagles opened the final period with a 13-4 run to make it 41-35.
The Panthers scored the next five points to up the lead to 46-35.
Clifton-Clyde, 13-3 with the loss, scored the next six points, and trailed 46-41, when Hammond got a steal and a layup with 17 seconds on the clock.
Carlie Carlgren missed on the front end of a one-and-one opportunity two seconds later, and a layup by Sevy Wurtz pulled the Eagles within three points with eight seconds left.
Struggling against the Eagles’ full-court pressure, the Panthers committed another turnover and the ball ended up in the hands of Shea Wurtz.
Wurtz scored with 1.8 seconds remaining to make it a 46-45 game and was fouled.
With a chance to tie the game, Wurtz was unable to make the free throw.
Concordia came up with the rebound and DeLeon was fouled with less than a second to play.
DeLeon missed on the free throw attempt, but the Eagles couldn’t get off a shot before time expired.
“We made some silly mistakes, but that happens. It is a learning experience,” Kuhlman said.
A pair of three-point baskets by Bethune and some stingy defense helped Concordia get out to an 11-4 lead in the first 7:25 of the game.
Concordia led 13-6 after one quarter of play, and a three by Acree early in the second period made it 16-6.
Shea Wurtz scored for Clifton-Clyde, but Acree answered with another three, and it was a 19-8 Panther advantage.
Scoring five straight points, the Eagles made it 19-13.
Back-to-back threes by Acree and Bethune and a bucket by Taylor McDaniel pushed Concordia’s lead to 27-13.
Clifton-Clyde scored the final three points of the first half, and trailed 27-16.
The Panthers extended the lead to 16 points in the third quarter and then survived the late run by the Eagles.
Shea Wurtz and Sevy Wurtz scored 15 points each for Clifton-Clyde.
Concordia will play a second straight home game when it hosts Sacred Heart at 4 p.m. Saturday.

CLIFTON-CLYDE (45)
Sorell 0-0-3 0, Steinbrock 0-1-2 1, Shea Wurtz 5-4-3 15, Bowen 1-0-0 2, Sevy Wurtz 7-0-3 15, Thrasher 2-0-0 4, Hammond 3-0-1 8. Totals: 19-5-12 45.
CONCORDIA (46)
Bethune 3-0-1 9, DeLeon 3-0-2 6, Acree 5-0-3 14, Carlgren 2-1-2 5, Cash 3-0-4 7, McDaniel 2-1-5 5. Totals: 18-2-17 46.