WINNSBORO – The Providence Athletic Club Panthers traveled to Richard Winn for a season opening varsity boys’ basketball matchup. Despite a promising third quarter, the Eagles fell by a score of 65 to 48.
“We are well prepared. We talked about this game being a glorified scrimmage. We hadn’t scrimmaged anybody this season,” Price said. “We lost four starters last year, and that hurt. I’m not worried about winning by 20 or losing by 20. We want them to go out and do proud by the school, their families and themselves. We want to be good in February, and not necessarily right now.”
First blood was drawn by PAC when Caleb Ashworth hit one of two foul shots.
The first of the three-pointers was scored by Noah Edwards, tying the game 3-3. The Eagles continued their three-point plays when Hudson Wade hit twice from the outside, and Edwards was fouled scoring.
By the first quarter buzzer, the lead changed hands seven times, but the Panthers held a slim 16-14 lead.
The second quarter was disastrous for the Eagles. The Panthers dominated the boards and Ashworth controlled the paint.
From buzzer to buzzer, Winn never regained the lead. PAC extended their lead to 11 points. Relying too much on long shots, the Eagles put up six points to PAC’s 15.
Richard Winn came out with a new determination in the third. Wade was the star of the quarter. Early in the third, he was fouled scoring but missed the free throw.
Wade hit a three from the outside and then was again fouled scoring, and this time hit the third point from the line. Jimmy McKeown hit a three, and Ethan McManus did one better for four.
The Eagles managed to tie the game at 36 on an Edwards’ foul shot. PAC re-took the lead when Luke Diarra sunk one from the line.
The Eagles regained the lead with an Edward’s basket. The lead was ripped from the Eagles’ talons for the last time when Ashworth, PAC star of the game, sunk one and was fouled in the process. The quarter ended with the Panthers ahead 48-43.
In the fourth, with Edwards and McKeown in foul trouble, the Panthers scored seven unanswered points. PAC discovered the key to getting the ball to Ashworth under the basket and scored 15 points in the quarter to Winn’s only five.
Diarra led PAC with 20 points, edging Ashworth with 10. Wade led the Eagles with 19.
“I think we ran out of gas a little bit in the second half. Several guys played a considerable amount of minutes,” Price said. “They hadn’t played much last year, more tonight than they played all last season. We are going to be OK down the road.”
The Eagles hit the road against Thomas Sumter on Nov. 21.