High School basketball rivalry season continued in Gold Beach as the Del Norte Warriors from Crescent City made the journey up Hwy. 101 to challenge the Gold Beach Panthers in the main event at Panther arena Tuesday evening.
Both teams came out swinging from the jump, and the action would not let up for another four quarters as both teams looked to establish their game plans through defense early on. With the game tied 5-5 midway through the first period, the Warriors established a presence under the basket, challenging drives to the basket, and collecting missed shots denying Panther second shot opportunities.
But Gold Beach fought their way into the paint, refusing to be intimidated by the physical interior defense of the Warriors, getting to the line four times and putting 17 points on the board in the first. The Warriors also struggled early with the Panthers base 1-3-1 defense as well as Gold Beach’s speed, managing only 13 points going into the second period.
In the second period, the Panthers continued the full court press to slow the Warrior offense, and also continued to challenge the Warriors in the paint. But the Panthers press forced the Warriors offense to the perimeter, where Del Nortes Wyatt Robson, #23, found his rhythm and buried five 3 pointers in the period for 15 of the Warriors 27 points in the second.
The Panthers put four players on the scoreboard in the second, with senior guard, #5 Gianni Altman leading the way for the Panthers scoring 13 points in the period with 5 or those points coming at the freethrow line. Austin Westerman, #30, hit for 5 points in the period as well, including a 3 pointer sending the Panthers to the locker room at the half-time break leading 44-40.
In the third period, the Warriors went inside to their big man, Ethan Thomas, #22, who hit three baskets, but more importantly got to the line twice. Del Norte also hit two 3 point shots on their way to 19 total points in the third.
But the Panthers gameplan in the second half was clearly to hand the ball to senior Gianni Altman to drive into the paint and make the Warrior defense foul him. Altman was perfect from the line in the third going 7 for 7, while also hitting two baskets and a 3 point shot for 14 points in the third. Junior Jake Westerman, #13, added to the Panther third quarter scoring total hitting two 3 point shots himself as the Panthers went into the final period extending their lead to 68-59.
And then the gloves came off in the fourth, and both teams went to their strengths for the stretch, with the Warriors pounding the ball into Ethan Thomas, #22, in the paint who delivered four baskets for 8 points in the period, but missed two crucial freethrows late as the Panthers forced him to line. But the Warriors weren’t done as #10, Merick Crabb came alive from the perimeter for Del Norte in the fourth, scoring 11 points including three 3 pointers.
As the Warriors erased a double digit Panther lead in the fourth, the Panthers also went to their strength, senior guard #5, Gianni Altman, who fearlessly drove into the teeth of the Warrior defense in the paint, gathering fouls and getting to the line. Altman hit a 3 pointer, a lay-up in the lane, and then went 13 for 14 from the line in the fourth, as the Panthers held on to shock the Warriors 88-79.
The Panthers are on the road to finish their pre-season in Myrtle Point Friday evening, at 7:30pm.
