Shorthanded Panthers get 22nd win
By JARED PUTNAM Union Sentinel Editor

Sentinel photo/Jared Putnam Corey Garrett shows off his wingspan on the layup. Garrett led the Panthers with 16 points against Rabun.

The Panthers closed out the regular season with their 22nd victory of the year, a 60-46 win over the Rabun Cats. The game was never really in doubt, despite the fact that the Panthers were without a pair of starters in Michael Ross and Taylor Neely.

The starting lineup looked a bit different than usual, as the seniors who had not had an opportunity to start a game opened on the floor for the Panthers.

The players seemed to have no trouble adjusting to their new roles, as Matt Schmidt hit a pair of free throws and Ryan Burks knocked down a jump shot that put the Panthers on top 4-0.

Union built an 8-2 behind the new lineup before substitutions were made. The Panthers continued to roll, running the lead to 15-4.

"We just started pressing from the outset,and once we got a lead we just had to worry about holding it," Head Coach Tim Hunter said.

In front of their home crowd on senior night, the Cats showed that they still had life in them, producing an 8-0 run to cut the lead to 15-12 before Burks hit a buzzer-beater three that doubled the lead to six points at 18-12.

Sentinel photo/Jared Putnam Caleb Kelley drives in past the Rabun player.

"Burks three was really big, and we did a good job of finishing out at the end of each quarter," Coach Hunter said.

In the second quarter the Panthers reestablished a double digit lead after Cody Adams connected on a trey and Kody Owenby dropped in a basket to increase the advantage to 23-12. The lead hovered around the 10-point mark throughout the quarter, emphasized by a Corey Garrett dunk that put the Panthers ahead 36-25. Union went into the half with a 38-26 advantage.

The team opened the third period with a 6-0 run that pushed the lead to 18 points at 44-26. It would grow as high as 22 points during the second half, as the Panthers held on for another comfortable win.

Corey Garrett led the Panthers with 16 points while Austin Collins was also in double figures with 10. Cody Adams scored 8, Ryan Burks added 7, and Kody Owenby contributed 6.

Above: Ryan Burks fakes a pass and drives in for the layup. Left: Matt Schmidt slings a bounce pass by the outstretched foot of a Rabun Cat.