Panthers fall short against Cooper

By Sam Major
photos@wood.cm
Posted 1/19/23

The Alba-Golden Panthers were topped 56-43 Friday by Cooper, despite strong efforts to overcome the visiting bullying Bulldogs.

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Panthers fall short against Cooper

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The Alba-Golden Panthers were topped 56-43 Friday by Cooper, despite strong efforts to overcome the visiting bullying Bulldogs.

Cooper pounced on the Panthers with a quick 10-2 lead. The Bulldogs were allowed too many rebounds and easy looks at the bucket, making them difficult to catch.

Down 22-11 in the second, Alba-Golden found a spark, lighting up the scoreboard for nine straight points, then pulled within one, 23-22.

A Cooper lob pass into the post was contested by Cameron Lennon, leaping to meet the ball at the same peak as a forward several inches taller. Conner Gibson maintained his position inside, keeping his hands straight up to deny the Bulldog a clean look at the bucket.

The Panthers were back in it.

Cooper stretched the lead back to four, but Gavin Dailey was able to cut it in half with a jumper on the low block, off the glass at the buzzer to make it 26-24 Bulldogs at halftime.

Alba-Golden completed their claw-back three and a half minutes into the second half, tying it at 29 each.

The game remained within reach 32-31 with a couple minutes left in the third, when the Bulldogs bit back.

Two put-backs for close-range scores made the lead five. Two three-pointers in the closing dozen seconds of the quarter ballooned the deficit to 11.

Cooper tacked on seven more to open the final frame, eliminating any drama.