Panthers run out of gas, fall 71-57 to Southampton in home opener

Charles City's Brian Hicks (left) reaches out for an errant pass while battling Southampton's Amari Long.

Andre' Jones photos

Behind 11 third quarter points from reserve guard Conner Robbins, Charles City’s Panthers found themselves down by a single basket at the 3:30 mark against the invading Southampton Indians.

But the transition into the fourth quarter saw the visitors orchestrate a 10-0 run and the Panthers could not respond as they fell 71-57 in the Dec. 3 basketball home opener.

With 6’9” center Darrius Bell unable to play for the Indians due to injury, the hosts aggressively attacked the rim from the opening tip. The result benefited the Panthers, who entered into the bonus situation in the first quarter and held a 9-8 advantage early on. Charles City sank eight shots from the charity stripe, allowing them to trail the guests by two points heading into the next quarter (14-12).

After a Brian Hicks trifecta returned the lead to the hosts (21-20) at the 4:15 mark prior to intermission, Southampton turned the tables and attacked the basket, resulting in easy scores and free throw attempts. A 10-0 run capped off by a Dee Banks pass to Trenton Artis for a short jumper and subsequent free throw pushed the Indians’ lead to 30-21 heading into halftime.

Trailing by 13 at the seven-minute mark of the third, second-year Charles City head coach Cullen Jenkins looked to spread the floor with shooters. Senior Brian Hicks’ floater and three-pointer cut the lead back to 10. Shortly afterwards, Robbins, who never took the floor in the first half, took center stage.

Robbins’ first shot was a made three-pointer from in front of the Panthers’ bench. After teammate Rashawn Shine sank a free throw, Robbins struck again, this time on a trifecta from the opposite corner. The next trip down the floor, his pump fake opened enough space to drain a pull-up jumper capping off a 9-0 Panther run to cut the lead to three (38-35).

The teams continued to exchange scores before Robbins’ third long distance shot found the bottom of the net, keeping the hosts within striking distance (42-39). After two Southampton free throws, Panther teammate Noah Ragland nailed a line-drive trifecta to pull the Panthers within two (44-42).

But that would be the closest the hosts would get over the remainder of the game. Southampton guard Brendan Simms would score seven of his team’s next 11 points to return a double digit lead to the guests (55-44). That lead would increase by six more points before a Hicks free throw would cease what eventually turned out to be a 17-3 run, putting the game out of reach and denying the Panthers their first win of the season.

After the contest, Jenkins talked about the progress his team has made throughout a tough week of competition to kick off the new season.

“We got better over the week as it progressed and I’ve seen a huge improvement,” said the head coach. “The kids were working hard out there.

“When we saw them [Southampton] in the 2-3 zone in the third, I wanted to get shooters out there and we got some big shots from them to pull us back in the game,” Jenkins continued. “Unfortunately, we ran out of gas at the end and fatigue got to us.”

Hicks’ 13 and Robbins’ 11 points led the scoring column for the Panthers, now 0-3 on the year. Ragland tossed in eight, while Ray Crump and Kyle Jones pumped in six apiece, Shine and Michael Grubbs contributed five, Mason Jefferson added two, and Michael Callahan chipped in one.

Southampton (1-1) received a team-high 10 points from Rakuan Briggs as the guests used balanced scoring throughout the contest.

Southampton’s Trenton Artis (12) finds it difficult to score after Charles City center Steven Crewe challenges his shot.