Meltdown after halftime break extends Panthers’ losing streak

Charles City's Michael Grubbs (left) forces Middlesex's Sean Johnson to rearrange his shot attempt.

Andre' Jones photo

For one half, it seemed Charles City’s Panthers would muster the energy and poise to snap a 27-game losing streak dating back to last season as they hosted visiting Middlesex Tuesday night. But in the game of basketball there are two halves, and the hosts failed to show up after the intermission break.

The visiting Chargers opened the second half on a 14-1 run and shot 64 percent from the floor after exchanging rims as they rolled 70-41 over the host Panthers in the Tidewater District contest.

After trailing the guests 14-12 after one quarter of play, Charles City began moving the ball well on the offensive end. Panther guard Conner Robbins drained a three-pointer just before the four-minute mark of the second quarter to give the hosts their first lead of the contest (19-17). After Middlesex’s Raquan Marshall converted consecutive buckets to regain the advantage for the visitors, Michael Grubbs sank two free throws to tie the game at 21. Only a floater by Charger Carlos Marshall accounted for the difference in the scoreboard heading into halftime (23-21).

But when the teams emerged from the locker rooms, the guests scored the nets. Standout guard Marquez Holmes steal and lay-in was followed by baskets from teammates Dre Key and Sean Johnson. Despite a Panther timeout to attempt to halt the run, Holmes drained a trifecta from the wing in what amounted to a 14-1 run for the visitors as the Chargers converted their first six attempts from the field and three free throws from the charity stripe to open the lead to 14 (36-22).

Charles City attempted to respond with a long distance conversion by Ray Crump and a Michael Jefferson lay-in, but another Holmes shot from behind the arc propelled the guests to a 47-29 lead heading into the final frame.

Charles City managed a small run to start the fourth, as junior guard Kyle Jones scored the hosts first seven points. But Middlesex responded with a 10-0 run to increase the Panther deficit to 26 (62-36) and closed out the contest on a 8-2 run to shut the door on the hosts’ hopes for a victory.

After the contest, interim Panther head coach Avery Jones spoke about the sluggish transition after halftime.

“We just came out flat and stopped moving the ball,” he said. “Middlesex got a few easy baskets to begin the half.

“Unfortunately, we got back into a lot of our old habits after halftime,” Jones continued. “I know our first win is going to be tough and in order to do that, we have to be perfect at doing the little things.”

Jones led the Panthers (0-14) with 17 points. Crump also finished in double figures for the hosts with 10 points. Robbins scored six while Jefferson, Grubbs, Noah Ragland, and Michael Callahan all chipped in with two apiece.

Marshall’s 17 and Holmes 14 points topped the scoring column for the visiting Chargers.