ABILENE — Splitting the season series with Abilene, the Concordia High School girls’ basketball team won its final road game, defeating the Cowgirls 53-37.
The Panthers’ strong defense would show up early, forcing turnovers and forcing Abilene into bad shots. These turnovers would allow the Panthers to build a cushion early. The Panthers would take a 16-6 lead after one quarter of play.
Abilene would erase the lead in the second quarter, going on a 10-2 run as the Panther offense went cold. A Charlize Cash floater at 1:44 finally broke the Cowgirl run. The Panthers would go on a 6-2 run to close the half with a 24-18 lead.
Both offenses struggled to score points in the third quarter. Only six points were scored in the first four minutes, four going to the Panthers. The Panthers would get the lead up to double digits, 30-20, with a Cash putback, and would take a 35-22 lead going into the fourth.
The Panthers would maintain the strong lead for the fourth quarter, exchanging baskets with the Cowgirls but refusing to let the lead get knocked below double digits, and even getting their lead up to 22 points on their way to secure the 53-37 win.
Cash had 22 points, five assists, seven rebounds, and six steals.
Jaylin Roush had 14 points, five rebounds, two steals and a block.
Stella Trost had six points, two assists, and a steal.
The Panthers will host Rock Creek in the regular season finale Friday, February 28.
Hosting the red-hot Nemaha Central Thunder girls’ team, the Concordia Panther girls’ basketball team fell 57-38.
The Thunder defense would put the pressure on early, utilizing a full-court trap and forcing early Panther turnovers. Charlize Cash found her groove early, scoring the first five points for the Panthers, but the Thunder’s work inside the arc would keep the Panthers at bay. With one quarter down, the Panthers found themselves behind 18-7.
Both offenses would start the second quarter slowly, with the Panthers finally getting the lid off with a Cash layup nearly two and a half minutes in, to which the Thunder responded with one of their own. The Thunder offense would continue to produce points while the Panthers were held off the board until a Morgan Lister three-ball with 1:15 remaining. The Panthers entered the locker room down 28-12.
In the second half both offenses would come out with some fire, with the Thunder scoring 11 points in just over two minutes in, with the Panthers scoring seven points in that time. The Panthers tried to get Jaylin Roush involved in the offense, but the Thunder did their best to neutralize her, forcing turnovers and doubling Roush. The Thunder continued to inch away from the Panthers, entering the fourth quarter with a 48-22 lead.
The Panthers would have their best offensive quarter yet in the fourth, scoring on five of their first six possessions. The second half of the quarter was when both teams would start to wind down, with only 10 points being scored across both teams in the final four minutes as Nemaha Central picked up the 57-28 win.
Cash had 23 points, five rebounds, two assists, and three steals.
Rylie Jessup had four points, five assists, and three rebounds.
Marlee VanMeter and Roush each had four points.
