Panther Creek/Holly Springs Game Recap/Standouts

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Panther Creek Catamounts and Holly Springs Golden Hawks squared off this past Friday in a SWAC conference battle to close out the 2022-23 regular season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Holly Springs jumped out to a lead right away with sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='1698954' first='Will' last='James Jr'] opening with the first eight points. The Catamounts would battle back though to lead 15-13 with 1:59 left in the 1st.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>An all-around attack and solid defense by Panther Creek had them leading 17-15 after 1.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In the second quarter, Panther Creek would hold onto their slim lead but Holly Springs would keep things close. Panther Creek led 24-22 with 4:56 left in the half.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1546447' first='Ryan' last='Crotty'] would tie things up at 24 with 4:02 left on the half but Panther Creek would take the lead right back. They led 27-26 with 1:43 left in the half. At halftime, Panther Creek led 29-28.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Panther Creek held onto the lead in the second half before Holly Springs went on a run. An 8-0 run by the Golden Hawks gave them a 40-33 lead with 3:29 left in the third. [player_tooltip player_id='1014990' first='Micah' last='Jones'] controlled the pace and the offense as it looked like Holly Springs would run away with things.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A 3-pointer at the buzzer from [player_tooltip player_id='1794170' first='Jake' last='Cackovic'] gave Holly Springs 50-41 lead heading into the final quarter.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Holly Springs entered the final frame with the lead but it wasn't safe as Panther Creek would chip away at the lead. A quick five points from [player_tooltip player_id='1614288' first='Chris' last='Uwayo'] made it 50-46. Jones would find Crotty under the basket on the other end to make it 52-46 with 5:22 remaining in the game. Panther Creek kept surging behind Uwayo; with 3:52 remaining, Holly Springs led 54-51. A 3-pointer from [player_tooltip player_id='1670305' first='Amari' last='Richardson'] would make it 54-54 with 3:36 remaining and the Catamounts would take the lead 56-54 with 2:20 remaining.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Panther Creek ran into a bit of a roadblock though as Uwayo fouled out with 1:53 left in the game, but the defense would step up led by Richardson and 2024 point guard Ja'tez Ward. Ward came up with some timely steals in the waning moments to secure the victory for his squad. Holly Springs would have a few opportunities to score but they were unable to convert on offense. In the fourth quarter, Panther Creek outscored Holly Springs 13-6 in the final quarter.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Final - Panther Creek 64 - Holly Springs 56</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1386542"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Richardson stepped up in a big way for Panther Creek especially down the stretch as he posted 15 points, three assists and two steals in the Panther Creek backcourt. He stepped up in a big way following the fouling out of [player_tooltip player_id='1614288' first='Chris' last='Uwayo']. He knocked down some big shots in the fourth quarter to give the Catamounts the victory. He's an unsigned senior name for JUCO and DIII programs to get eyes on.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_player":["1614288"],"_player_evaluations_1_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"Uwayo stepped up a ton in the fourth quarter to lead the Panther Creek comeback before fouling out with roughly 1:20 left in the game. He finished with 19 points as he overcame some shooting woes to lead the offensive attack. He knocked two 3-pointers and scored 10 of 19 points in the fourth quarter to pace his squad. He's a volume-scoring guard that can get going in a hurry in the backcourt.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_player":["1614295"],"_player_evaluations_2_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_2_player_featured_image":1796382,"_player_evaluations_2_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"Surgers was an active presence on the rebounding front for Panther Creek as he finished with a double-double in the win. He put up 14 points and 17 rebounds and showed off his ability to clean up on the offensive glass (7 off. rebounds) and finish around the rim. He's an unsigned senior name for DII and DIII schools to get eyes on.","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_player":["1014990"],"_player_evaluations_3_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"Jones put together quite the game at the point guard spot despite the result for Holly Springs. He finished with 16 points, four assists and two steals to lead the offensive attack for the Golden Hawks. The offense stalled a bit in the fourth but he kept his foot on the gas so to speak with a team-high 16 points.","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_4_player":["1698954"],"_player_evaluations_4_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_4_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_4_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"James got the offense going for Holly Springs right away with the first eight points. He was active shooting the ball on the perimeter and on the glass to show he could do more than just operate with the ball in his hands. He continues to show his growth on the hardwood this season with a talented Holly Springs group.","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":5,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-63ea531c2cd30"} /-->