Panthers’ rust from lengthy break doesn’t show in defensive effort in victory over Indians

MONROE CITY, Mo. — The Monroe City girls basketball team may have been a bit rusty offensively on Tuesday, but their defensive effort did not skip a beat.

Some timely shooting helped the Panthers’ cause, too.

Playing their first game since Dec. 19, the Panthers were 18 seconds away from holding their fourth consecutive opponent to less than 30 points and made two buzzer-beating 3-pointers in a 42-31 victory over Elsberry at the Monroe City High School gym.

“We’ve had some really good practices, but games are different,” Panthers coach Adam Rung said. “It’s just getting back acclimated.”

Monroe City junior guard Naaron Hays said the Panthers were itching to get back to playing games.

“We were all excited to get back,” Hays said.

While the Panthers’ offense sputtered to just 20 points in the first 15 minutes on Tuesday, Hays and senior forward Cahlin Chapman gave the Panthers a spark going into halftime. With 43.8 seconds to go, Chapman made a layup and got fouled. Chapman did not make the free throw, but a defensive stop on the other end gave Monroe City one more chance with the ball before the end of the half. 

Hays made the most of that opportunity by splashing home a 3-pointer from the right corner three seconds before the buzzer to stretch the Panthers’ lead to 25-18 at the break.

“When you can widen that lead just like that at the end of a half, it kind of puts the other team down and makes us get on a run,” Chapman said. “It definitely shaped the next two quarters of the game.”

The Panthers were not done with their buzzer-beating heroics. Ava Potterfield drained a triple at the third quarter horn to give the Panthers a 35-25 advantage going into the final quarter.

“We talked about that after the game. Those are big plays,” said Rung, whose team is among those receiving votes in the Missouri Basketball Coaches Association Class 3 poll. “We talk about getting off to good starts in quarters, but we also talk about finishing quarters, and we were able to get two baskets there, get momentum going into the next quarter and keep them at bay.”

The Panthers held the Indians to just one made field goal in the fourth quarter until Mya Plaster made a 3-pointer with 18 seconds left to bring the game to its 42-31 final score. This was the first time the Panthers had allowed more than 30 points since a 56-53 double overtime loss to Highland in the Monroe City Tournament third-place game on Dec. 13.

“It’s the age-old phrase, ‘Defense wins games,’ and we really take that seriously,” Chapman said. “We really try to get the defensive side of our game where it needs to be.”

Chapman finished with 12 points and played one of the more aggressive games Rung has seen her play. The Panthers made it a point to get the ball to Chapman in the high post to attack the Indians’ zone.

“We’ve talked a lot with her about being aggressive when she gets it (in the high post) because she has the ability to put the ball on the floor and finish at the hoop,” Rung said. “She was able to do that tonight.”

Chapman felt she played with poise, as well.

“Coach Rung’s really been working with me on facing up, slowing it down and keeping myself under control, so that was a big factor tonight,” Chapman said. “With the zone, it’s really high post, low post and passing, and that’s really what got me everything tonight, the selfless passes from other people.”

Hays paced all scorers with 14 points, and she feels that the Panthers are steadily getting back in the groove of things after going nearly four weeks without a game.

“We’re getting there, definitely,” Hays said.

The weather and school cancellations that have come along with that have not done the Panthers any favors. 

“I think they were tired of practicing, and it’s been inconsistent,” Rung said. “With the weather, you’ll have a couple practices, then you’ll have a couple days off.”

The Panthers also missed out on playing in the Clopton Invitational, which was cancelled because of snow.

“Oh my gosh, well I was really hoping that we’d at least get to play a couple games at the Clopton tournament,” Hays said.

The Panthers will continue to shake off the rust when they travel to Silex for a date with the Owls on Thursday.

“Games will do us well,” Rung said.