The Whitharral Panthers had their hands full with the New Deal Lions last Tuesday in a 71-52 home loss.
The Panthers are currently ranked no. 20 in UIL Class 1A by the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches.
The Lions are ranked seventh in Class 2A.
The first quarter ended with the Lions up 14-12.
The second quarter saw New Deal catch fire on both sides of the court, scoring 20 and holding Whitharral to eight points.
New Deal outscored Whitharral 23-14 in the third quarter.
The Panthers outscored New Deal 18-14 in the final period.
Jeryn Ellerd led the Panthers with 16 points. Nomar Gomez had 12 and Kaden Smith had 10. Jarrett Fryar and Jack Griffin had five each and Shamadrick Weaver had four.
The Panthers will be in Cotton Center on Jan. 3 for an 8 p.m. game.
The Whitharral High School Girls’ Basketball team has fallen on a rough stretch due to short numbers.
Head girls’ coach Paul Finley has decided to play a junior varsity schedule due to lack of players.
Finley added that he wanted to continue a season even without the district honors or opportunities for post season.
“We are trying to make sure we don’t have to miss any games from lack of players,” he said.
The Lady Panthers are playing tough in spite of their struggles.
In spite of the official forfeit by Whitharral, the Lady Panthers downed the Amherst Lady Bulldogs 55-46 last Tuesday.
Whitharral led 10-4 at the end of the first quarter and 25-14 at half-time. The third quarter saw Whitharral up, 44-26.
Madison Chavez and Avery McCain led all scorers with 17 points each. Tyler Parkinson had nine. Elizabeth Reyna had five. Kalyn Bates had three. Madyson Nickelson and Trinity Coronado had two each.
In spite of the team’s struggles this season, Finley remains optimistic.
“We are gonna come out of the other side of this much better,” he said.
The Lady Panthers’ next schedule game is on Jan. 3 in Cotton Center at 6:30 p.m.