Union Co. to host Banks Co.
By TODD FORREST Sentinel Writer

Both Union County basketball teams will have a chance to improve on their own different winning streaks this Friday when the Panthers host the Banks County Leopards. The Union County Boys (13-5) will be looking to extend it's seven game winning streak against Banks County, dating back to the 2004-05 season. During the winning streak, Union County's average margin of victory over Banks County has been 22.4 points, with the last three wins coming by an average of 30.3 points. The Panthers defeated Banks back on December 4th by the score of 66- 42 when five different Panthers scored in double figures, led by Blake Gowder's 16 points. Michael Ross scored 13, Ryan Burks, and Cody Adams scored 12 points each, and Austin Collins added 11. During that game Union was without the services of Senior guard Matthew McCombs, who returned to the Panthers after the Christmas Holidays. However, Union will be without starting guard Cody Adams.

Not only are the Panthers looking to extend a winning streak on Friday, they are also looking to end a three-game, subregion losing streak and climb out of a 3rd place tie in 8AA North. Being in the middle of a three game skid and tied for 3rd place in the sub-region is unfamiliar territory for Union's boys. The last time Union dropped three subregion games in a row was in 1998-99. The Panthers haven't dropped four sub-region games in a row since 1994-95. The last time Union's boys were lower than third in the sub-region standings was back in 1995-96. Luckily for the Panthers they have a chance to get back on track against a team that they have dominated lately.

Union was supposed to travel to Rabun on Tuesday but the chance of wintry weather caused the postponement of the games until early February. The Panthers also own an impressive winning streak over the Rabun County Wildcats. The Panthers have won 15 straight over the Wildcats (currently the longest active streak in the sub-region) with their last loss to Rabun coming in February of 2000. Only the Panthers winning streaks over Class A Towns and Tallulah Falls are longer than the Rabun County streak. Currently Union and Rabun are tied for third place along with East Jackson. Rabun already owns a win over East Jackson and East Jackson currently owns a win over Union County. The Panthers fell at East Jackson by the score of 68-59 last Friday.

Union hosts Banks on Friday with the girls to tip-off at 7:00 P.M.

Union hosts Fannin on Tuesday with the girls tipping-off at 6:00 P.M.

Lady Panthers currently in sole possession of first place in 8AA North

With Fannin's win over Rabun County last week, the Lady Panthers (14-4) have first place in the sub-region all to themselves. The winner of the sub-region during the regular season gets an automatic berth in the state playoffs. A win over Banks County on Friday will be the Lady Panthers fourth win in a row and their third in a row over Banks County. Union defeated Banks in Homer on December 4th by the score of 60-35 despite playing without Senior Kayla Gowder. During Union's threegame winning streak the Lady Panthers have been winning by an average of 17.7 points per game. Union's latest win came last Friday at East Jackson by the score of 53-35. Union

The postponement of the Rabun game prevented Union from getting a shot at ending a two-game losing streak to Rabun that began after the Lady Panthers knocked them out in the Region Playoffs back in February of 2006. Rabun's average margin of victory in the two wins was 14 points. However, Rabun County suffered a lot of losses to graduation off last year's state playoff team. Rabun has already lost by double-figures to Towns County and Fannin County, two teams that Union has already beaten. Union's most recent opponent East Jackson fell to Rabun County 49-47.