The Jackson County Panthers picked up their second win of the season and their first win against a region competitor last week.
Now the Panthers prepare for a Saturday home stand against the Eagles of East Jackson.
The last time the two teams paired up, back on Dec. 4, the Panthers came away with a 65-46 victory.
Tip-off is slated for 5:30 p.m.
Eastside
The Panthers hosted Eastside in their first region pairing of the season last Tuesday. It was a close game from the start, with the Eagles holding a slim 8-6 lead at the end of the first quarter. Eastside would increase that lead by only one point by the half, as they led 20-17.
The Panthers came out looking for results in the third, and by the end of the quarter, held the lead 38-36.
But some missed chances by Jackson County opened the door for Eastside, who retook the lead in the fourth quarter. The Panthers had a chance to tie the game with 16 seconds left on the clock, but a bad break left them just short, as Eastside won 47-44.
Alex Crawford led the Panthers in scoring with 15 points, going 4-6 from the three-point line. Joseph Smith scored 13 points on the night. Juice Harrison scored eight points and had 14 rebounds.
“We played well,” said coach Britt Beaver. “Our defense was solid against a very athletic Eastside team. We executed fairly well but missed some opportunities going into the stretch.
“The guys continue to work hard. You can really see a difference in these kids this year. I am proud of their efforts. We need to continue to improve on the boards and work together as a team.”
Stephens County
Up next was a trip to Stephens County for another region match up against the Indians.
The Panthers took control from the outset, moving out to a 21-10 advantage in the first quarter. Stephens County would hold the Panthers to six points in the second quarter, but could only add eight to their tally, giving Jackson County a 27-18 advantage at the half.
The Panthers moved out to a comfortable lead in the third quarter, putting 19 points on the board while the Indians scored nine, making it a 46-27 game. Stephens County would make a late charge, but couldn’t get close enough, as the Panthers won 59-47.
Crawford led in scoring with a career high 20 points, five rebounds and three assists. He went 5-7 from the three-point line, including a half court shot at the end of the first half.
Joseph Smith scored 14 points. Harrison scored nine points and had 13 rebounds. Jarvis Shaw scored nine points and had three assists.
“(We) did a good job of cutting down turnovers and taking care of the basketball,” Beaver said. “Alex shot the ball very well. This was one of our strongest defensive games this year. We will have to play defense like this to be competitive this season.”
The Panthers went 15 of 20 from the free throw line on the night.
Oglethorpe
Up next was another road trip on Saturday that took the Panthers to Oglethorpe County to face the Patriots in a non-region pairing.
The Patriots took control early, moving out to a 19-12 lead by the end of the first quarter. Oglethorpe County would increase that lead slightly in the second quarter, but Jackson County worked hard to stay within striking distance as the Patriots took a 39-29 lead into the half.
In the third quarter, the Panthers cut the lead down to nine points, as Oglethorpe County carried the 56-47 advantage at the end of the quarter. The Panthers came on strong at the end, but came up short as Oglethorpe County won 78-73.
For more on this story, see Wednesday's edition of The Jackson Herald or The Braselton News.
