CHANUTE – The Neosho Panthers men's basketball team suffered a loss Saturday night after a second-half scoring drought losing 68-64 to the Seward Saints in the Panther Gym. The home loss is only the second home loss of the season for the Panthers.
In the first half, the Panthers would hit on all cylinders knocking down 6 of 11 shots from deep and defensively holding the Saints to just 19 points in the first 16 minutes and also forcing 15 turnovers.
"I thought we played the way we expect the guys to play for the first 16 minutes." Head Coach
Jeremy Coombs said. "Unfortunately for the next 24 minutes was a different story and we reverted back to our old ways."
In the final 4 minutes of the first half, the Saints would go on a 14 to 1 run to end the half but the Panthers would hold a 35-33 going into the break.
In the second half, the Panthers would start pretty much how they ended the first half and never could get it going offensively.
"I thought we defended just ok, it was enough to win the game that's for sure." Coombs said, " We just couldn't get it going offensively and that's super disappointing because we just wouldn't execute and we didn't make free throws."
Statistically looking at the stat sheet every category was the same except the Panthers would only knock down 12 of 23 from the free-throw line (52%). Normally the Panthers shoot the ball very well from the charity stripe as they are 75% on the season.
"No question it hurt not making free throws but the bottom line is we weren't focused and didn't bring the same intensity we started the game with." Coombs said, "We tell the guys all the time it's not a light switch...you can't just turn it on and off."
The Panthers will need to bounce back quickly as they hit the road for Indy Monday and then return home Wednesday to take on the #1 scoring team in the Jayhawk the Cowley Tigers. Tip is set for 8:00 pm Monday at Indy.
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