Lehighton and Panther Valley boys basketball never fails to put on a good show. On Thursday night at Panther Valley High School, Lehighton showed up with an agenda. After a well-earned win on Tuesday night against Pine Grove, the Indians wanted to close out the week with two Schuylkill League wins. The Indians fought their way to get ahead in the second half and secured the 68-53 win over the Panthers.
The game quickly opened up with a basket from Owen Serfass of Lehighton. The first several minutes were close, but Panther Valley began to pull away. It was clear from the energy on the court, and the volume of the crowd, that it would be a battle to come away with a win. Logan Fisher of Panther Valley stood out in the first quarter by scoring a quarter-high of seven points. Blake Roberts and Joe Roth of Lehighton showed signs of a promising performance for the Indians.
At the end of the first quarter, Panther Valley led the Indians 14-13. In the second quarter, it seemed like Panther Valley was making a run for the win. They led the entire quarter. Panther Valley’s Conner Penberth put up two three-point shots and one two-pointer to help him grab eight points in the second quarter. Roth kept putting up baskets any way he could to help the Indians. Both teams were able to keep fouling under control. The score going into halftime was 33-26 with Panther Valley in the lead.
Lehighton has tended to be a second-half team this season, and this proved true for the Indians on Thursday night. They came into the third quarter much quicker and much more eager to score. They were able to take the lead about halfway through the quarter with a two-pointer and a foul shot by Cole Dietz. Dietz was able to get back to his typical ways this quarter by getting a three on the scoreboard and handling the ball.
The Indians were able to outscore the Panthers and fight for the lead. The quarter ended with Lehighton leading 48-42. In the final quarter, the Indians were feeling confident. The Indians capitalized on their offensive plays and continued to play solid defense as they only allowed nine Panther points. Joe Roth made his ten points in the final quarter look easy. John Light was able to jump-start plays and play great inside defense. Roberts and Dietz also added to the Indian’s final twenty-one points with six from Roberts and five from Dietz. The energy was high in the final minute of the game once the Indians realized they had secured the important league win against the Panthers. The final score, in favor of the Indians, was 68-53.
With this win, the Indians improved their record to ten wins and four losses overall. In the Schuylkill League, they now have three wins and four losses. Panther Valley stands with seven wins and five losses, with three wins and four losses in the league. The leading scorer who helped lead the Indians to victory was Jr. Joe Roth with 28 points. The Indians will next play Blue Mountain at home on Tuesday, and Panther Valley will face Jim Thorpe at Jim Thorpe on Saturday.
