A Double Victory For Basketball

Many fans walked away from the basketball games Friday night filled with pure joy and excitement for the victorious student-athletes. The Principia boys and girls played brother/sister schools, Priory and Visitation Academy, and while some may have anticipated a different outcome, the Panthers showed courage and brought home two solid victories.

Over at Visitation Academy, the girls’ varsity basketball team walked into the most challenging game of the year with a gym packed with energy and adrenaline for Visitation’s homecoming game to cap off an exciting week of school spirit. After starting the game by acknowledging senior Liz Gilman’s 1,000-point accomplishment, the hundreds of fans went crazy cheering for their home team.

It seemed that both teams felt the pressure and were distracted by the extreme noise. By halftime, the Panthers trailed for the first time in weeks. But, with homecoming activities going on during the break, the Panthers had an extra long halftime to regroup, refocus, and take a breath.

In the second half, Panther nation joined the team as the “sixth man” on the court and cheered as loud as possible when the Lady Panthers were on defense. It worked. The girls knew they had support and found their confidence as they gradually put points away to tie the score by the end of the third quarter.

Going into the fourth, they were back to being unified with little distraction. Though Viz fouled at every chance to slow the clock, the Lady Panthers made free throw after free throw, stacking the points up for a final 40-34 win for Principia.

Gilman led the pack with 13 points, including six of nine free throws, three rebounds, one assist, and three steals. Spencer Randolph and Alli Ball shared the lead in steals with five a piece. Ball also had two assists, four rebounds, and 12 points, while Randolph had four rebounds and eight points, making six of seven shots from the line. Kara Johnson was the rebound leader with seven rebounds, three points, and one steal. Rachel Perea and Tanya Marquardt were tough, supportive players as well with three rebounds and two points each. Marquardt also managed two steals, while Perea grabbed up one.

“I am just really proud of the way we came together in the second half. It was the only way we could have been successful tonight. We really needed this. Hopefully it gives us some needed humility,” Head Coach Shad Nichols explained.

Several fans commented that it was a “true character win for the girls.” And it was. The girls were poised and courageous while battling, but stayed mentally strong enough to band together down to the last two seconds to solidify the win.

Across town in Carey Field House, the boys’ varsity team played a talented Priory team and at one point led by 20 points. In a physical and fast-paced game, the rest of the Panther fans watched as their young men persistently battled for every ball and put away as many points as possible to take the 61-50 win away from Priory.

Joe Colliatie put away 21 points and had six assists and 10 rebounds. Sawyer Grow chipped in eight points shooting four for four from the line, and Justin Ball put up 19 points for the Panthers plus one assist, five rebounds, and an impressive eight blocked shots.

Immediately following the win, and knowing that the girls’ team had literally just beaten Priory’s sister school, Sawyer Grow commented, “It feels awesome. Both teams, I’m sure, played very well. The boys’ team did for sure. I am really happy that we pulled together. Tonight was intense. We came out strong; got defensive rebounds [and did what we needed to do].”

“We came together and played as a family. We kept our focus, got the ball inside, and put it away,” Justin Ball added. 

Both teams will celebrate their victories tonight, but the girls have a quick turnaround to face Whitfield at home on Monday at 6 p.m. in McCalmont Gym. The boys' will take on yet another Metro League team on Tuesday at home with Lutheran South at 7 p.m.

Go Panthers!