Wednesday, January 22, 2025
Opening league play with a win, the number seven-ranked Concordia High School boys’ basketball team remains a perfect 5-0 after defeating Marysville 59-45 last Friday.
In a tight bout throughout the first quarter, the Panthers opened up with a Boone Richard three, the largest lead for the entire quarter. The two teams went back and forth, trading gritty baskets and not allowing their opponent to gain ground. The quarter would end tied at nine points each.
Marysville would open up with a 5-0 run to take the lead before another Richard three would break the run. The Bulldogs would hold a five-point lead until the Panthers, with 3:56 left in the second, took the lead back and built their own five-point lead. In the final 90 seconds of the half, the Panthers would build their lead up to 10, which they would take to the locker room, leading 29-19.
After some more back and forth, the Panthers would start to expand their lead, building up to 16 points. With a 14-point lead entering the fourth quarter, the Panthers would try to close the book early.
Both teams would score 12 points and the Panthers would walk away proudly with the 14 point win as they handed Marysville their third straight North Central Kansas League loss, all by at least 10 points.
Chane Parker led with 12 points, seven rebounds, and three assists.
Peyton Retter had 11 points, three rebounds, three assists, and three steals.
Richard had 11 points, three rebounds, one steal and one block.
In a rare 4A versus 1A matchup, the Concordia Panther boys’ basketball team hosted the number seven-ranked Hanover Wildcats in a thriller in which a last minute surge gave the Panthers a 79-73 win to advance to 4-0.
Both teams would be high energy from the opening tip, with the Panthers striking first via the free throw line and a pull-up mid-range shot. Hanover then outraced the Panthers and made a contested layup four seconds into the possession, putting the score 3-2 Panthers, one minute in. Both teams would stay in attack mode, exchanging baskets with the highest lead in the entire quarter being four by Hanover at the end of the first quarter, 21-17.
The attack from both teams would carry over into the second half, exchanging baskets and defending the paint in kind. The Wildcats wouldn’t be able to build their lead, and the Panthers wouldn’t be able to snatch it until 3:58 with a Peyton Retter three. Hanover immediately hit its own three, getting the lead back, 33-31. Hanover would extend its lead to nine before a late push by the Panthers would knock it down to four heading into halftime, with the Wildcats leading 43-39.
The offensive explosion would continue in the third quarter with 21 combined points being scored in the first four minutes, with Hanover scoring 12 compared to the Panthers’ nine. With 32 points in the third quarter, Hanover scoring 19 and the Panthers scoring 23, the game entered the fourth tied at 62 points each.
Both teams’ offenses would come back to earth, with only five points scored by each team in the first four minutes of the quarter. The Panthers would take a one-point lead off a Retter mid-range jump shot with 3:19 remaining. A mid-range shot by Ayden Krier followed, and a steal and layup by Retter would give the Panthers a five-point lead, 73-68, with under three minutes to go. Hanover would make two free throws with 1:19 remaining, putting its team down by three. Switching to a full court press, the Wildcats almost forced a Panther turnover, but a timeout by head coach Shane Traughber would save the Panthers. Forcing a Panther miss, the Wildcats hurried the ball down the court and hit a wide open three to tie the game at 73 points each with 63 seconds remaining. Panther Boone Richard attacked the basket and drew a foul, forcing him to the line where he played hero once again and made both free throws, giving the Panthers a two-point lead. With the Wildcats unable to convert on their possession they would be forced to foul. The Panthers would make four straight free throws and pull out the win, 79-73.
Luke Donovan led in scoring with 19 points, with 10 being off turnovers, and picking up five rebounds.
Krier had 15 points, six assists, and five rebounds.
Chane Parker had 14 points, and nine rebounds, with five being offensive rebounds.
Retter had 13 points, seven assists, and five rebounds.
The Panthers remain a perfect 5-0 entering a break, and will host number four-ranked Rock Creek Tuesday, January 7.
