Independence, Kansas - Make it three in a row for the Neosho Panthers, as Jeremy Coombs squad came out of Indy with a 72-67 win against the Independence Pirates on Wednesday night.
 
The Panthers would come out hot knocking down a flurry of three balls going 9 of 20 in the first half from behind the arch. The Panthers would share the three-point love around the team as Magic Reliford, Brian Tolefree, Jay McMiller, Jae Min Yang, Jack Taliaferro and Sai Fisher all contributed to scoring from deep.
 
"We tell the guys everyday we must take what the defense gives us and in the first half Indy was taking away our drives." Head Coach Jeremy Coombs Said. "I thought the guys did a great job of taking good shots and not forcing the issue."
 
But it was the Pirate's domination in the paint and on the glass that helped them carry a two-point lead into the locker room at half.
 
"We struggled with their size and that's my fault." Coombs said. "But we made several adjustments in the second half and the guys were able to control the paint much better."
 
The Pirates would come out in the second half and push their two-point lead to as much as twelve points before the Panthers woke up. After an old fashion three-point play by Tolefree, the Panthers would turn up the defense and force Indy into several turnovers. The Panthers capitalized on those forced turnovers making a run of their own. At the media timeout the Panthers would take the lead but would find themselves in a seesaw battle for the next 8 minutes.
 
"I was super proud of the guys for hanging in there and fighting back." said Coombs. "Any game on the road in the Jayhawk is tough but Indy has always really been a tough place to win at."
 
In the final two minutes of the game the Panthers would knockdown some important free throws and maintained a three-point lead till the buzzer securing their third win in a row 72-69.
 
Next up the Panthers will return home Saturday to host the Cowley Tigers. Tip is set for 7:30pm on the campus of Neosho County Community College.
 
For more information on the Panther men's basketball team, visit GoNeosho.com or follow @GoNeoshoHoops on Twitter.