Late Run Dooms Panthers Against Leslie

A late run in the final two minutes doomed the varsity boys’ team as rival Leslie handed the Panthers a 45-38 loss in front of a large Coming Home crowd Friday night.

Leslie took control early, outscoring the Panthers 11-4 in the opening quarter.

The Blackhawks pushed the lead to 14-4 early in the second, but the Panthers went on a 13-6 run and a lay-in just before the buzzer by Kegan Collins cut the lead to 20-17 at the break.

The teams went back and forth in the third with Leslie holding a slim 28-27 lead after three.

The Panthers came out strong in the fourth and led 34-30 midway through.

A Leslie triple cut the lead to 34-33, but Joey Ballagh hit a pair of free throws with 1:55 left to give the Panthers a 38-34 lead,

It would be the last points the Panthers scored and the Blackhawks would go on an 11-0 run over the last 1:55 to pull out the win in front of a stunned crowd,

Collins finished with a team high 16 points to lead Stockbridge.

Ballagh finished with 11 points Jake Sawicki four, and Drew Robinson and Zach Fletcher two each.

The Panthers fell to 7-8 overall on the season.