Panthers’ stifling defense keeps ARGS in check as part of season-opening win

Charles City’s Gavin Stewart (left) ramps up defensive pressure as Appomattox Regional Governor School’s Matthias Williams struggles to keep control of the ball.

Robb Johnson photo

Entering into the 2023-24 season, the biggest question Charles City’s Panthers boys’ basketball team had to answer is how to make up roughly 90 percent of the team’s scoring from last year that was now gone due to graduation. Good thing for Charles City Head Coach De’Quantae Mason, that 10 percent showed up early Monday night.

Senior Jonlei Coles scored the first 12 points for the hosts, and Charles City’s defense held the visiting Appomattox Regional Governor School’s (ARGS) Dragons to a mere point in the second half as they cruised to a 65-16 opening night victory.

Coles came out hot early with a bank off the glass followed by a pull-up jumper from the elbow. After a lay-up from the visiting Dragons, Coles connected on two more shots for the hosts for a quick 8-2 lead. ARGS counted, with Spencer McCorry’s three-pointer that banked off the backboard that launched a quick 5-0 spurt for the visitors to slice the lead to a mere point (8-7).

But Charles City continued to ride Coles’ hot hand, this time as he drained a three-pointer and was fouled on the play. He converted the free throw for the four-point play. Meanwhile the first non-Coles points came from newcomer Shane Jones, who sank a free throw. Returning forward Messiyah Greene’s basket helped close out an 8-0 run to give the hosts a 15-7 lead after the first stanza.

Charles City entered the second quarter the way they ended the first, red hot as Greene’s three-pointer pushed the Panthers lead into double-digits. The hosts then received more offensive output courtesy of junior guard Gavin Stewart, who scored seven points in the second quarter to propel Charles City to a 32-15 halftime lead.

But for as much as Charles City performed well in the first half on offense, it was the defense in the second that shined. Jones became more acclimated to the climate for the hosts, able to steal the ball and convert easy lay-ups. Meanwhile, the rest of the Panthers’ defense continued to contest shots and outhustle ARGS for loose balls. The result saw ARGS only convert a free throw in the third quarter and miss 23 consecutive shots from the floor. Meanwhile, Charles City built up a 30-point advantage, leading to a running clock and a victory on the board.

After the game, Mason spoke about getting his team to buy into his defensive strategy to set the tone of the contest.

“We are trying different things with our defense with the new rules changing to five fouls,” he commented, mentioning the new rule that sees the bonus situation begin after the fifth foul of every corner. “We are trying to make sure we are staying disciplined and working together as a team and building our chemistry.”

Charles City (1-0) received a game-high 20 points for Coles, while Jones also finished in double figures with 17 points. Stewart and Greene both contributed seven, the trio of Taylor Bey, Terrell Crawley, and Sherod Barnes each tossed in four, and Cosey Robinson chipped in with two.