MORROW -- Just a minute-and-a-half into Friday night's game in the PAC at LMHS, Little Miami (0-12) senior guard
Ketan Prathapa was fouled in the paint and sent to the charity stipe where the Panthers logged a free throw and went ahead of the visiting West Clermont (3-13) Wolves 1-0. The Wolves would score the next three points to jump ahead 3-1, but with 3:48 left in the opening quarter LM senior guard
Austin Center caught fire and scored 7-straight Panther points to put the hosts ahead by three at 8-5 by the sound of the first quarter horn.
However, in the second quarter the Panthers went cold and the Wolves were on the hunt. For a total of 8-minutes and 54-seconds the Little Miami offense went dormant, while in converse fashion West Clermont rallied for 13-straight points. At the halftime intermission West Clermont led 18-8.
Little Miami was the first to strike coming out of halftime as Prathapa logged a field goal, and Center added two free throws to slice the West Clermont lead to just six points 18-12 with more than 6:30 remaining in the third. At the 6:11 mark, the Panthers fouled WC's Ethan Hale as he was driving to the hoop, which led to two free-throws for the Wolves extending the score back to eight at 20-12.
On the next series, LM sophomore forward
Conner Williams logged a field goal to cut the score to six at 20-14, but it was Hale who would answer again on the next drive for WC with a basket of his own (22-14).
Then, with 4:56 remaining in the third quarter Little Miami senior
Jacob Melton was fouled driving to the rim and found net off the glass. The Panther senior added the free throw and cut the Wolves lead to just five at 22-17.
However, that momentum would be short-lived as West Clermont sophomore guard JJ Stahl drained two-straight 3-pointers over the course of the next two possessions and blew the door open for the Wolves. West Clermont extended their lead to their largest cushion of the night at 15 (38-23) by the close of the third quarter, and added 26 fourth quarter points as the visiting West Clermont Wolves outlasted the host Panthers 64-35.
'We have a big week in front of us," said Little Miami first-year head coach
Brian Lawhon. 'We're not going to let tonight define us, and we're going to lace up our shoes again tomorrow at Springboro and give them all we've got."
Certainly, the veteran Panthers head coach knows the formula to get the Panthers on the right track. Over the last three season's leading the CHCA Eagles, Lawhon was an impressive 55-16 enroute to being name the District 16 Coach of the Year.
Lawhon and Little Miami return to action tomorrow night as they head to Springboro to face the old FAVC foe in the Domino's Gymnasium at SHS. Tip times are 4:30, 6 and 7:30 PM. Tickets are available through the boropanthers.com website.
On Monday, Feb. 1 Little Miami will head into the heart of Cincinnati to face another former FAVC rival in the Norwood Indians. The JV tip at 5, and the varsity follows at 7 PM. And finally, on Tuesday, Feb. 2 the Panthers will play their fourth game in five days as they travel to Walnut Hills for a battle with the upstart Eagles in ECC play.
The LM Road Warriors finally return home next Friday, Feb. 5 when the Panthers host Loveland in a triple-header tipping at normal times.
As always, stay tuned to littlemiamipanthers.com for the latest news, scores, and highlights.
