Saratoga Panther Daniel Kerbs works past HEM defenders to score.
The Saratoga Panthers (6-10) played a tight game against Hanna-Elk Mountain-Medicine Bow (HEM) (1-14) Friday in the Miners’ court ending the first quarter at a tie of 11.
“Hanna played well,” head coach Josh Sandlian said. “Every time HEM gets better we see what we are able to do to get the win.”
The Panthers took an early lead in the second quarter and held onto it for most of the second quarter before HEM put on the pressure and closed the lead to two points ending the half at 21-19.
“Daniel Kerbs is steadily improving,” Sandlian said. “He’s not afraid to take the ball to the basket.”
That was evident in his play Friday as he racked up 13 points on the score board. Kerbs normally scores 7 to 10 points per game.
The third quarter gave each of the teams another 9 points with the Panthers in the lead by 2 at the end of the quarter.
The Panthers managed to get a 4-point lead after Kerbs ran the floor with a rebound from the defensive side and scored 2 points.
In the final quarter, the Panthers built on their lead keeping a 10-point lead through most of the quarter outscoring the Miners 17-7.
The Panthers won 47-35.
Saturday, the Panthers (6-11) traveled to Big Piney (7-10) non-league match and lost 60-45.
Injuries and illnesses plagued the Panthers and with three starters fouling out, Sandlian depended on the younger players to go up against the 2A team.
“The young guys played well in the second and third quarters,” Sandlian said. The Panthers scored 14 points to Big Piney’s 11 in the second quarter and 17 points to Big Piney’s 12 in the fourth quarter.
The first and third quarters were brutal for the Panthers, down by 11 in the first and 12 in the third.
“We got to put four quarters together,” Sandlian said.
The team is working hard, Sandlian added, but said they don’t quite have the experience yet.
On Friday, the Panthers host the Pine Bluffs Hornets at 3 p.m. in the Panther Den, junior varsity plays at 3 p.m., Lady Panthers at 4:30 and and varsity at 6 p.m.
The Panthers host Southeast Saturday at 1 p.m. starting with junior varsity.
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