Panthers Slip Past Lansing Christian After Long Recess

Cover- SCN File Photo

The Stockbridge boys’ basketball team returned to the court for the first time in nearly two weeks Friday night due to illness and the Panthers battled their way to a 63-60 win over Lansing Christian.

The Panthers were still short-handed going into the game with the Pilgrims but were able to overcome the adversity to pull out the win.

The game was a back-and-forth battle all night with the Pilgrims taking a 16-13 lead after one quarter.

Drew Philipp and Drew Robinson scored six each in the second as the Panthers were able to cut the Lansing Christian lead to 28-27 at the half.

The Panthers would outscore Lansing Christian 13-11 in the third behind five points from Robinson and four each from Philipp and Keegan Colling to take a 40-39 lead after three.

The fourth quarter was a shootout with the Panthers outscoring the Pilgrims 23-21 to hold on for the win.

Stockbridge went to the line 13 times in the fourth quarter. Most of the trips to the line came in the final two minutes and the Panthers sealed the win by making eight of the 13 shots from the charity stripe.

Philipp finished with a team-high 20 points to lead the Panthers.

Robinson added 17 and Keegan Collins chipped in with 16. Jake Sawicki scored six points, all of them coming in the all-important fourth quarter. Micah Bolton and Collin Cook chipped in with two points each.

The win snapped a two-game skid for the Panthers before the hiatus.

The Panthers fell to rival Leslie 59-32 January 18.

Collins led the Panthers with eight points, while Robinson and David Kluesner scored six each. Joey Ballagh added five points, Philipp four, and Bolton three.

Stockbridge fell to unbeaten Olivet 60-47 January 14.

Kluesner and Ballagh led the team with 12 points each. Collins added eight points and Robinson seven. Sawicki and Philipp chipped in with four points each.

The Panthers improved to 3-2 in the GLAC and 6-7 overall.