Panthers drop two, derail playoff hopes

The Saratoga Panthers

saw their last chance at regionals

slip through their

fingers Monday night as

they lost the pigtail game

to the Burns Broncs 45-40.

The Panthers kept the

game close, but missed

“tons of shots” from the

paint , Panthers head

coach Joe Johnston said.

The Panthers only shot 17

percent from the floor.

Saturday, the Panthers

lost their chance as a No.

3 seed when they fell to

Southeast 44-59, which

put them in a pigtail game

at home on Monday.

Friday night, the Panthers

hosted the conference’s

No. 2 seed Lusk.

The Panthers were behind

by 10 at the half, but rallied

in the third quarter

to tie the game. But by

the end of the third, the

Panthers were down by 5.

The Lusk Tigers played an

aggressive game Friday,

which became even more

aggressive in the fourth

quarter and the Panthers

only scored 3 points.

Johnston said he was

disappointed with the losses,

but is already looking

forward to next season. He

is losing four seniors, three

of which had a lot of playing

time this season, but

is confident in the players

who are coming back next

year.

Johnston said the boys

played extremely hard

this year and made a lot

of growth. “I am going to

miss the seniors,” Johnston

said.

In the offseason, Johnston

is looking toward

summer camps, especially

since the team has the

funds to go as a team.

During the season Braxton

Schwartzkopf averaged

14 points per game

with four rebounds and

three assists. Jace Berger

had 12 points per game, 10

rebounds and two blocks

per game. Andrew Oiler

had and an average of 6

points per game and four

rebounds. Darian Williams

and Seth Harrison

averaged four points per

game and Rodrigo Escobedo

averaged 3 points, three

rebounds and four assists

per game.