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The Panthers’ Jesse Lopez dribbles around a Sabercats’ defender during last Wednesday’s game. Kelli Luberda | Sun
Superior head coach Ryan Palmer gives instruction to his team during a timeout in the Panther’s 60 – 51 victory against San Tan Foothills last Wednesday.
Kelli Luberda | Sun
Superior Sun
A 10-point run near the end of the third quarter proved to be the difference for the Panthers boys’ basketball team in its 60 – 51 victory at San Tan Foothills last Wednesday.
After a slow start, the Panthers were able to recover during a back-and-forth second quarter that ended with them holding a 23 – 20 lead at halftime.
“We’re a very athletic team,” Superior head coach Ryan Palmer said after the game. “Once we start focusing on fundamentals and finishing, we are taking good shots.”
Indeed, Superior’s athleticism was apparent as the Panthers dominated the Sabercats on the glass throughout the game, limiting the Cats to one shot on the defensive end and giving themselves extra opportunities on offense.
That combination allowed the Panthers to go on the 10-point run in the third quarter, which allowed them to extend their lead to 41 – 30.
“With our kids, the football season went a little longer so we missed the fundamental work and we need it,” Palmer answered when asked what adjustments his team made at halftime following the slow start. “It wasn’t that we did anything different (in the second half), we just started hitting our shots.”
Junior Austin Navarrette was one of three Panthers to score in double figures in the win with a team-high 16 points. Jalon Murray finished 13 points and Nicolaus Cruz added 11 points, including nine from the free-throw line.
Murray, a junior, scored six of his 13 points during the decisive 10-point run in the third.
“We were pretty good,” he said. “We moved the ball well.”
The win was the Panthers second of the season and second in as many nights as they defeated Salome on Dec. 8, 55 – 44.
Upcoming schedule: Dec. 17 vs. San Tan Foothills at 7 p.m.
Andrew Luberda began writing for Copper Area News Publishers (CANP) in February 2013 after working 15 years in Healthcare Financial Management. Andy covers sports for 11 high schools. His stories are published in Copper Basin News, San Manuel Miner and Superior Sun, in addition to the San Tan Valley Daily PRSS and CopperArea websites. Additionally, he has written human interest stories and business profiles. In May 2012, he earned an AAS in Sports Management at Central Arizona College before graduating with a BS in Communication from Arizona State University in 2014. He and his wife, Kelli, have three sons – AJ, Kyle, and Kade.
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