Second half drought dooms Panthers as Middlesex escapes

Charles City’s Thomas Kelly (15) sends Middlesex guard Raquan Marshall’s lay-up attempt out of bounds after a clean shot block.

Andre' Jones photo

On three separate occasions in the third quarter during a Jan. 9 contest against the visiting Middlesex Chargers, Charles City’s Panthers were a mere basket from tying the game up. But those opportunities faded away with a nine minute scoring drought from the hosts that spanned through most of the second half.

Along with the Panthers’ inability to score, Middlesex converted 11 free throws to pull away from the hosts 48-32 in the conference contest.

Neither team could find the hoop early on, as both teams combined for 0-21 from the floor before Middlesex’s Raquan Marshall converted a three-pointer at the 4:25 mark of the first quarter. That basket was good enough to give the guests the lead for good, as they took an 8-6 advantage into the second quarter.

Action in the second frame stemmed from Charles City senior Jaquane Wyatt’s aggressiveness on the defensive end. Wyatt’s three consecutive steals, including one that led to a Charles Vaden lay-in, cut the visitors’ lead to five (17-12). Middlesex, however, withstood the spurt, holding a 24-17 lead at halftime.

The hosts returned to the floor after the break inspired as Kyle Jones lay-in trimmed the deficit to five. Moments later, Brian Hicks nailed a trifecta in front of the home bench to squeeze the gap to two (24-22). Marshall responded for the Chargers, converting a floater followed by two free throws, but Hicks nailed his second long-ball of the frame, making the score a one possession game in favor of the visitors (28-25).

Kyle Jones’ free throw for the hosts at the 3:14 mark of the third quarter kept the gap at three (29-26). But that would be the last the Panthers would see the ball drop through the hoop until the final moments of the contest.

After Middlesex forward Jacob Self converted an easy basket, Panther head coach Cullen Jenkins elected to milk the final three minutes off the clock in the quarter. Charles City failed to score on two final shot attempts in what turned out to be the beginning of eight consecutive misses and six turnovers from the floor.

Meanwhile, fourth quarter action saw Middlesex reel off a 7-0 run during the first five minutes. Charles City finally returned to the scoring column at the 2:51 mark with a Michael Grubbs steal and lay-in. But by that time, the Panthers trailed by 10 (38-28), and could only watch as the visitors sank eight free throws down the stretch to seal the victory.

After the game, Jenkins spoke about his strategy to possess the ball at the end of the third quarter while his team was trailing.

“I rather be down by five points than six points heading into the fourth quarter,” he said. “In the fourth quarter, we simply didn’t make a shot and that hurt us.

“I’m proud of our effort we put forth tonight,” Jenkins continued. “Unfortunately, we’ve been struggling to score 40 points every night. If we can put up four consistent quarters, then we will end up back in the win column.”

Jones’ eight points was a team high for the Panthers, who now hold a 1-10 record. Hick and Noah Ragland finished with six points, Vaden and Wyatt pumped in four apiece, and Grubbs and Michael Callahan chipped in with two.

Middlesex’s Marquez Holmes finished with 12 points, with nine coming in the final quarter.