North Hopkins Panthers Take a "Thriller"
Tuesday Night

 

From Coach Larry Tucker

 

Fruitvale - Tarence Berry's driving lay-up with 8.6 seconds to go gave the North Hopkins Panthers a hard-earned 47-46 win over Fruitvale in district 18-A action last night. The Panther win puts them at 3-1 in district play tied with Fruitvale in the second spot behind 4-0 Yantis. In other district action, Yantis whipped Campbell and Boles throttled Cumby. The Panthers take on pre-season favorite Boles at home this Friday.

The Panthers started with the hot hand of Jose Osorio who hit two three point shots in the first two minutes and North Hopkins led 11-9 after one. Osorio would end the night with 12 points, all on three point shots.

The Bobcats fought back in the second quarter and took a 26-24 lead at intermission.

"We played a good defensive game and overall played one of our best games this year," Head Coach Clay Pirtle said. "Berry made a big play for us at the end, but the whole team deserves credit for the win."

 

 

 

The Panthers made several key defensive stops in the third quarter to take a 39-35 lead after three quarters.

The changed hands time after time in the frantic final minutes.

Fruitvale took a 46-45 lead with 15.4 seconds to go on two free throws, before Berry's heroics nailed down the win for the Panthers.

 

 

 

The Panther defense held Bobcat star Marcus Rangel to just nine points for the game with none in the second half. Rangel scored 27 with 15 rebounds last Friday in the Bobcats big win over Boles.

Yantis sits on top of the district with a 4-0 mark followed by North Hopkins and Fruitvale with 3-1 slates, Boles at 2-2 and Cumby and Campbell each posting 0-4 records.

 

 

NH 11 13 15 8 = 47
Frutivale 9 17 9 11=46

NH- Silas Whaley 13, Osirio 12, Berry 8, Blake Adams 6, River Milam 5, Jessie Williams 3
Fruitvale- Earl 22, Rangel 9, Holland 7, Black 5, Fowler 3

Three pt. shots - NH Osorio (4), Whaley (1); Fruitvale - Earl (1)

 

 

 

 

Lady Panthers Fall to Fruitvale

 

Fruitvale - Plauged by injuries and illness the North Hopkins Lady Panthers fell to the hot-shooting Fruitvale Lady 'Cats 41-14 to fall to 1-5 in district play.

"We let their press get to us early and just never recovered," Coach Larry Tucker said. "We never quit but we just were not up for the task tonight."
Macy Griner led the team with seven points.

 

 

Campbell is leading the district with a 6-0 slate with Yantis a solid second at 4-2. Cumby and Frutivale are at 3-3 while North Hopkins and Boles are each 1-5.

The Lady Panthers will face Boles this Friday at home.

 

 

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