Albany, NY - Playing in a back-to-back doubleheader, the basketball teams hosted UMaine Augusta on Sunday afternoon.
The women tipped off first at 3pm after a travelling delay postponed the game by 2 hours. Right from the get-go, it was a rough outing for the Panthers. Shooting a mere 23% from the field, they struggled to find the bottom of the net. Makayla Mudge (Acra, NY) scored the only 2 baskets for the team in the first quarter as they found themselves down by double digits early on. Samantha Howland (Whitehall, NY) provided a spark in the second by scoring 9 points on a perfect 3/3 from the field, but the Moose's lead remained large.
The second half was more of the same as the Panthers put up only 10 points in the half. Howland finished with a 15 and 10 double-double, but the 32 turnovers outweighed the freshman's performance. The Panthers ended up losing by a score of 65-32.
After that game, the men took on the Moose in a much tighter game. The first half saw a total of 4 lead changes and 2 ties. Alex Carrillo (Akron, OH) and Michael Leak (Delanson, NY) led the way by combining for 16 points in the first half. Tristan Lisbony (Houston, TX) added 8 points off the bench while Brett Richards had 6 boards and 5 assists. A last second bucket by Lisbony gave the team a 2 point halftime lead.
The second half started with more back and forth, but then the Panthers went on a 23-11 run about halfway through the half to build a double digit lead with 3 minutes left. However, the Moose went a perfect 6/6 from deep in those last three minutes, led by Yonas Medfu who hit four of those, including the game winner with only 3 seconds left. The Panthers final shot was blocked as they lost a heartbreaker by 1 point.
Richards finished with 17 points and 15 rebounds while Leak added 9 points and 8 assists and a 21 point performance from Lisbony. The men's team will play next on Tuesday evening when they host SUNY Ulster. The women will play next on Wednesday evening in their senior night against Word of Life.
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.
