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YOUNG PANTHERS LOSE LEAD AND GAME IN CHARM CITY CLASSIC
Saturday, December 1st , 2007 at Loyola College

In their first game of the year, the young Panthers showed their considerable talent, and their considerable youth.  Leading by fifteen at the half, they lost focus when the Neumann-Goretti team shut down Sean Mosley.  They allowed Neumann-Goretti back in the game and lost by five.

The Neumann-Goretti team was a formidable opponent.  One of the best teams in the Philly Catholic League, they won the league last year.  The Panthers outplayed them in the first half when Sean Mosley was on fire. Hitting 24 of his game high 26 points, he was raining threes as he was four for four from three point range.  Wayne Sparrow came off the bench and scored all seven of his points in the first quarter.  Solomon Jones came on in the second quarter, scoring five points and adding three rebounds.

Neumann-Goretti turned up the defense in the second half and double-teamed Sean whenever he got the ball.  Dante Holmes came through with five of his ten points, but the team had too many turnovers and slowly lost their substantial lead.

 
Ronald Williams tried to turn it around with his quickness and pinpoint passing.  The smallest player on the court ended up with seven rebounds and seven assists to go along with his six points. 

All in all this was a very good test for the young Panthers.  Losing Anthony “New York” Oquendo to a knee injury really hurt.  Besides being a senior, he is also an excellent rebounder.  This team is very talented, but extremely young.  At one point there was one senior, three sophs and a freshman on the court.  We will have to live with their mistakes early in the year and expect them to grow up by the time tournament time arrives.