BY JIM THOMAS

The Panther girls opened the Southwest League portion of the season by sweeping Grand Junction High and Grand Junction Central Friday and Saturday, Jan. 14-15. And the Panther boys lost to Grand Junction High but came back in fine fashion to beat league favorite Central in basketball games played in Ron Wright Memorial Gym.

The Panther girls beat Central on Saturday afternoon 64-63 in overtime and won against GJHS 50-45 Friday night. The Panther boys stopped the Warriors 62-50 but fell to the Tigers 73-60.

Holly Tanner, with just one second showing in regulation, was fouled on a rather controversial call. The call itself wasn’t controversial as she was definitely fouled in the act of shooting. However, the referee said the foul occurred past the three-point arc and she was awarded three free throws.

"There is probably no other person with the determination who I would want at the line in that situation," MCHS head girls coach Phil Baca said following the game. "Although she had not shot free throws so far this season, I knew she could shoot them if she relaxed. That is not an easy thing to do in that type of pressure situation. To make one in that situation is tough. To make two is really an accomplishment. But to make three in a row is quite a testimonial to her confidence."

Tanner’s three free throws tied the game at 56-all. She made a pair of free throws, Lindsay Waggoner sank a basket, Emily Lange made a basket and later a free throw, and Stefanie Allison hit one-of-two free throws for a total of 8 points in the overtime. For Central Sarah Babbel made two field goals, Willow Peppel sank another and Lindsey Kame made one-of-two at the line for 7 points.

The teams traded baskets during the early going and the score was tied 6-6 with 3:11 showing in the first quarter. The score would remain that way with 2:06 to go. Late in the game Gonyeau was called for a technical foul and Tanner sank one-of-two. Cortez led 13-12 when the quarter ended.

Cortez missed several lay-ups early in the second quarter. Central took the lead for the first time in the game at 16-15 in the midst of a 6-0 run. The Panthers were still having problems getting the ball to drop for them and trailed 23-20 when Central called time at 1:42. The score was deadlocked at 25 at the half.

In the third quarter Bethany Wertz’ putback put Central up 29-25. Central led 39-33 with 1:27 to go. Cortez then went on a 6-0 run and trailed 40-38 late in the quarter.

The lead changed hands several times in the fourth quarter. Denise Newlin made a lay-up and put Cortez up 47-46 with 6:13 to go. Mariah Nieslanik made an old-fashioned three-point play which put Central up 49-48. After Newlin and Casey Bauer fouled out, the short-handed Panthers (starter Annie Mortensen was attending a wedding and not available), had a senior, two juniors and a freshman on the court to finish the game. Cortez trailed 55-51 with 1:20 to play and were down by a basket at 55-53 with 29 seconds remaining in regulation. And then Tanner was fouled with a single tick left.

"The girls showed a lot of character the whole second half and in the overtime. But they showed a lot of character to even put the game into overtime," Baca added. "Doing what they were supposed to do was a key today. We did a much better job of listening and going out and executing. That’s a credit to them."

Tanner led all scorers with 20 points while Newlin and Bauer added 12 apiece. Nieslanik and Babbel scored 12 each for Central.

The Panther boys then took the floor. They took the ball right to the Warriors in the first period. Eric White and Marcus Mortensen both canned threes. Cortez led 8-0. They led 10-2 when Layne Frazier made a putback. Central made a run and Cortez held only a 12-10 advantage with 1:35 on the clock. The Panthers ran off five straight, including a three by Adam Williams which put Cortez up 17-10. Cortez led 17-12 when the quarter ended.

The Warriors couldn’t buy a basket early in the second quarter. Josh Cornett, playing perhaps his best game of the season, made two putbacks on consecutive trips down the floor for a 21-16 lead. Cortez turned the ball over several times and were not making good passes. Central pulled within four a 26-22 with 2:06 to play. Cornett showed he not only can play well inside but outside as well as he canned a three which gave Cortez some breathing room at 29-22 shortly before the half ended.

White got the Panthers off to a good start coming out of the dressing room by hitting a pair of free throws. Cortez led 33-26 with 5:25 to play in the third quarter. The Panthers led 35-29 following a bench technical on Cortez when Dustin Phillips made two free throws. During the next stretch Central outpointed Cortez 9-4 and made the game interesting with Cortez leading 35-31 with 3:48 to play. The score was tied at 35-35. The score was tied at 41 when the period ended.

Central led 46-43 early in the final period. But White came back with a three to tie the game at 46. He immediately canned another three to put the Panthers up 49-46 for good with 4:11 remaining. Cortez slowly built a lead and was up 54-47 with 1:11 left. The Panthers were able to hang on for the big win.

White paced the Panthers with 21. Cornett, who scored 11 points in the second period, finished with 17 while Frazier added 10 and Garland 8. Dylan Coleman led Central with 18 and Ryan Mantlo chipped in 14.

"We put together two good halves," MCHS coach Wade Mortensen said following the game. "We were sluggish again in the third quarter but we fought through it. We showed a lot of growth even from last night to tonight. I know the effort and the heart was tremendous."

Cortez girls forced Grand Junction into early miscues in the first quarter against the Tigers. Allison’s lay-up put Cortez up 4-0. Bauer made a nice bank shot and Cortez led 8-2. The Panthers had doubled the Tigers at 10-5 with 2:40 showing. Annie Mortensen drilled a three which gave the Panthers a 14-7. The Tigers were not about to give up and trailed 14-13 when the period ended.

The Tigers grabbed a lead for the first time at 15-14 when Megan Meyers made a lay-up. They stretched their lead to 17-14 when the Panthers turned the ball over. Cortez had not made a field goal in the second quarter as of 3:53. Cortez looked like it was in trouble, trailing 22-15 with 3:16 to play. Cortez caught up when Allison missed a lay-up, then grabbed her own rebound and put it back and was fouled. She missed the free throw but Waggoner was there to put it back. Cortez trailed 25-24. They trailed 27-26 at the intermission.

Then the Panther defense took over. At the same time, Cortez scored some easy transition baskets. Bauer made a putback and the Panthers were on top for good at 30-27. Allison made a steal and lay-up which put Cortez up 36-27. Grand Junction was limited to only a basket in the period, which came at 2:48. The Panthers held a commanding 44-29 lead when Nicole Stephens sank a pair of free throws. The Panthers outscored the Tigers 18-2 in the period and led 44-29.

A technical by Baca at 5:44 allowed Grand Junction to make a comeback. Junction scored two free throws and came down and scored again on the possession. It scored again and then Stephens made two more free throws. Cortez still led 46-37 with 4:06 to go. When Natalie Rodriquez made a putback Junction was back in the game at 48-42 with 1:49 on the clock. The Panthers hung on for the win.

Allison led the Panthers with 14 points and Bauer added 10. Juanita Gonzales led GJHS with 10.

"The girls showed a lot of perseverance in that game because it was a rollercoaster with the momentum changes. They did a great job in holding them off late in the game," Baca remarked.

In the opening quarter in the boys’ game against the Tigers, Williams canned a three to put Cortez up 5-1 with 4:49 on the clock. The game was tied 7-7 when Central rallied with 3:32 to go. Chris Garland sank two free throws which put Cortez up 11-7. The score was tied again at 15 all with 1:08 to play. Josh Cornett made both ends of a one-plus-one to give Cortez a 17-15 when the quarter ended.

MCHS, because of fouls by GJHS, was in the double bonus with 7:41 to play in the half. The Tigers, though, took the lead at 19-18 with 7:01 to play. Marcus Gonzales hit three straight charity tosses which put the Tigers up 22-19. The Tigers held a slim 25-23 lead with 4:35 to play. Marcus Mortensen’s steal and lay-up tied the score at 27-all. He then hit a three-pointer which gave Cortez a 30-27 lead with 2:48 to play. Cortez led 39-30 at the half.

The Tigers came back strong in the third quarter. Cortez’ lead quickly vanished. The score was tied 42-all with 3:55 to play. When John Holley canned a three, the Tigers were on top 42-40 and the would never relinquish the lead again. Cornett made a bank shot at the buzzer but Cortez trailed 51-48.

Grand Swenson made two give-n-go lay-ups which gave GJHS a 56-51 lead. Mortensen and Eric White made consecutive threes and the Panthers trailed 65-59. Michael Ray Galindo made a fall-away which gave the Tigers a 69-60 lead with 2:33 showing. The Tigers outlasted Cortez from there.

Swenson finished with a game-high 22, and Cooper Williams gunned in 17. Mortensen led Cortez with 14, White added 13, and Cornett 10.

"We just did not come out ready to play in the third quarter," coach Mortensen said. "I don’t know what we were thinking. The first four minutes of the third quarter were critical. This was a good team and they are well coached. We had some defensive lapses (referring to some baseline shots given up by the Panthers)."