Albany, NY - The Panthers took on conference rival Great Bay on Sunday on a day where both teams desperately needed a win.  

The women tipped off first at noon in a game that was led by freshman sensation Samantha Howland (Whitehall, NY). In the first quarter she had 7 points to go along with 4 steals to help the Panthers build a dominating 17-5 lead. The second quarter was more of the same as the Panthers forced 6 turnovers and outscored the Herons by 7 points.  The third quarter was somewhat closer as the Panthers outscored their opponent by only 5, but then the team erupted in the fourth. Putting up a massive 35 points in the quarter, the team saw 8 different players score in the period, including 6 points from Grace Halayko (Albany, NY) on a perfect 3/3 shot selection from the field.

The Panthers ended up winning massively by a score of 80-28 in a game where every single Panther scored at least once, including soccer players Catherine Gaylord and Makayla Mudge who filled in for the team.  Howland finished with a near triple double with 24 points, 14 rebounds, and 8 steals while Mudge had 10 points and 4 assists off the bench. 

After the women's game the men took on the 14-2 Herons (who were ranked #2 in the USCAA) in another must win game.  The Panthers knew it and they played like it. They built an early 10 point lead for themselves led by superstar Brett Richards (Kinderhook, NY) who had 14 points and 4 blocks in the first half alone.  Michael Leak (Delanson, NY) added 12 points and 3 assists of his own before the halftime horn was blown. 

In the second half, the Panthers rode their momentum to push their lead up to 17 points, but then the Herons went on a 23-5 run to take a 1 point lead. However, Alex Carrillo (Akron, OH) had other ideas as he went on to score two clutch baskets to give the Panthers a 5 point lead with just two minutes left. Clarence Claiborne Jr. (Petersburg, VA) then iced the game at the free throw line to give the Panthers a 64-57 upset victory over the nationally ranked team. 

Both teams came into the day in dire need of a victory, and both teams will end the day victorious. They will both have the week off until Saturday when they host NHTI in another doubleheader at home. 

How to follow the Panthers: For the latest information on ACPHS athletics, visit acphspanthers.com or check out the ACPHS athletics social media platforms on Instgram @ACPHSPanthers or X @ACPHSAthletics. 

Written by Angelo Oddo.