In Coach Newton's second season the Lady Panther basketball team has made some impressive strides toward building a strong program.  “This season we have been more competitive on the floor.  For the first time in three years we won back to back games in conference play.  From last season to this season we have forced more turnovers per game, and have held teams to fewer points per game.  Our level of intensity has been a step above and this is due to the type of player we are attracting” Said Coach Newton.

Saturday the Lady Panthers fell in OT to the 1^st Place team in the Jayhawk East Region, Independence Lady Pirates 60 – 59.  After the game Coach Turner of Indy said, “Coach Newton has this team scary to play against we are very lucky to get out with a victory.  I knew when coach Newton got the job that he was the right fit and he will build a program that everyone will be proud of in Chanute.”

Another area the program has turned around is community involvement.  “We have a very positive presence in our community and that feels really great that people want to know about our program and want to be around our program” said Coach Newton.  The Lady Panthers finished second in the Thayer parade in the float category, participated in the Artist Alley parade in downtown Chanute, planted flowers with R.S.V.P on campus to remember the fallen of  9-11, helped with the Valentine's Day celebration at Heritage Health Care Center in Chanute and helped over the Christmas season with Toys-For-Tots.

The Lady Panther are leaving Tuesday March 6^th to head to Concordia, KS for the 6pm Wednesday tip-off with Cloud County.  “This is very exciting for me and this program because this is a first for us as a team, last season we did not qualify for post season” said Coach Newton.

You can catch the game on the internet at http://www.cloud.edu/activities/kvco.aspx or Google 88.3 KVCO radio.
 
GOOD LUCK LADY PANTHERS