The crowd was roaring at the boys basketball senior night against Penncrest on Tuesday, Jan. 31. Led by senior captain Jaden Jauregui, the Panthers held off the Lions in a close, tough-fought battle, winning 46-40 and bouncing back from their three road game losses.
The Panthers played lockdown defense over the first half, allowing only three points in the second quarter and maintaining a 24-11 lead at halftime. However, the Lions came storming back in the second half, making it a three-point game halfway through the fourth quarter.
“It was a dog fight,” Jauregui said. “We were winning hard the whole time and they came back in the end. I have to give this win to my teammates.”
On the sidelines, the Panther Pack came out in a big way to combat the equally rowdy Penncrest crowd. Chants rang out from the stands as students cheered on the Panthers to beat their greatest rival.
“We had to show out for the boys one last time to see them beat Penncrest,” said senior Jordan Shaw, the self-appointed leader of Tuesday’s student section. “It feels great to come out with a big dub against them.”
Following a game-saving block by Jauregui, the Panthers held on for their ninth win of the season. They will look to stay hot on Thursday, Feb. 2 at Springfield.
