Tigers hand Panthers first loss of season, 56-53

The Concordia Panthers had their chances in the closing seconds against Clay Center but couldn't cash in.
Trailing Clay Center 55-51 with under a minute to play, the Panthers had leading free throw shooter Cav Carlgren miss on the front end of a one-and-one opportunity.
Clay Center then missed four straight free throw attempts, but Concordia would manage to score just two points in dropping their first game of the season, 56-53, Tuesday night in the Concordia Junior-Senior High School gymnasium.
“We had opportunities to still win the game and we just didn't make the plays that we have been making so far this year to finish games,” Concordia coach Derek Holmes said. “There were two rebounds on missed free throws at the end of the game that we didn't get. That is just an example. There were a lot of plays we left out there and didn't capitalize on. Give credit to them. They made the plays and made the big shots when they needed them.”
Concordia, now 6-1 overall and 2-1 in North Central Kansas League play, led Clay Center 46-41 when Aceyn Cash made two free throws 36 seconds into the fourth quarter.
A three-point basket by Carson Floersch and five straight points by Mark Hoffman put Clay Center on top to stay, 49-46.
Tyler Hobrock made one of two free throws to get Concordia within two points, 49-47, with 4:48 remaining in the game.
The Panthers would then go more than three minutes without scoring.
Clay Center, 4-2 overall and 2-1 in league play, had Floersch score four straight points, and led 53-49.
Carlgren went one of two from the line with 1:35 on the clock to make it a 53-48 game.
A pair of free throws by Simon Lee just seven seconds later gave the Tigers their biggest lead, 55-48.
Joey Henderson knocked down an off-balance three-point shot and Concordia was down 55-51.
The Panthers forced a turnover and Carlgren was fouled with 50 seconds on the clock.
Carlgren, shooting better than 80 percent from the charity stripe on the season, missed the front end of the one-and-one.
Floersch, who led all scorers with 23 points, was fouled with 39 seconds remaining. He missed both free throw attempts, but Clay Center got the offensive rebound.
Joey Henderson came up with his fourth steal of the game and made a layup to pull the Panthers within two points, 55-53, with 24 seconds left.
Floersch was fouled five seconds later. He missed the front end of the one-and-one, but the Tigers came up with a long rebound and Justin Wright was fouled.
Wright made the second of two free throws to give Clay Center a 56-53 cushion.
The Tigers almost came up with a steal, but the ball ended up in Cash's hands. His three-point attempt to tie the game was blocked.
Hobrock grabbed the loose ball, and his heave as time expired was off the mark.
“We will bounce back. I love our team, and our kids are tough, so we are going to bounce back,” Holmes said.
Cash led Concordia with 17 points.
Henderson scored 14 points for the Panthers.
Hobrock finished with 11 points and nine rebounds.
The Panthers were 20 of 57 from the field for 35 percent. They made just 5 of 25 three-point attempts and 8 of 15 free throws.
“They started packing it inside more, and instead of being patient we just settled for threes and we can't settle,” Holmes said.
Hoffman joined Floersch in double figures for Clay Center with 17 points.
Concordia scored the first five points of the game.
Clay Center battled back to pull even at 12-12 heading into the second quarter.
A basket by Hoffman gave the Tigers their first lead at 14-12.
Clay Center was up 16-14 when Concordia used an 8-1 spurt to reclaim the lead at 22-17.
The Panthers were up 34-27 at halftime.
Cash answered a bucket by Hoffman with a three-point shot, and Concordia had its biggest lead of the game, 37-29, early in the second half.
Clay Center closed the gap to two points, 39-37.
Three straight points by Carlgren and a basket by Hobrock gave the Panthers a 44-37 lead.
Floersch made two free throws, and the Tigers were down 44-41 going into the final eight minutes of play.
Cash hit two free throws early in the final period to make it 46-41.
Clay Center then rallied to get the win.
Concordia will play a third game in five days at Wamego on Friday night.

CLAY CENTER (56)
Floersch 8-5-1 23, Wright 1-1-2 4, Hoffman 8-0-3 17, Musselman 1-0-1 2, Lee 1-2-3 4, Bloom 3-0-4 6. Totals: 22-8-13 56.
CONCORDIA (53)
Henderson 6-0-1 14, Carlgren 2-4-5 8, Benfer 0-0-1 0, Cash 6-2-4 17, Hobrock 5-1-3 11, Turner 1-1-0 3. Totals: 20-8-14 53.