PANTHER JV GIRLS STRIKE DOWN SPARTANS
By Marc Atwood
marcatwood@aol.com
(2/5/08 Chico, CA) The Chico girls' junior varsity basketball team came away with a 44-33 win over Red Bluff Tuesday at "The Panther Pit."
Kristy Reynolds gave the Panthers their opening bucket 41 seconds into the game. Vanessa Willard's basket with 4:28 remaining in the first quarter gave the Spartans their first points of the game. Willard made another shot with 2:43 left in the first to cut Red Bluff's deficit to 8-4.
Sara Thomas made one of two free throws with 6:55 remaining in the second quarter as the Spartans were down 9-7. Reynolds hit a shot with 5:40 to go in the first half to put Chico back up 11-9. Marilyn McGowan made a bucket with 4:11 to go in the half to give the Panthers a 14-12 advantage. Chico took a 16-14 lead on a hoop from Nalani Vernau with 3:02 left in the half. Red Bluff stayed close as Emilee Bickert hit a basket with 1:14 remaining until halftime with the Spartans down 18-16.
Reynolds hit a quick shot nine seconds into the third quarter as the Panthers went up 22-17. Kelsey Engle made a pair of free throws with 3:08 remaining in the third to bring Red Bluff within four points at 23-19. Keri Piluso made a basket with 1:21 to go in the period as Chico's advantage stood at 29-21. Willard made a hoop with 45 seconds left as the Spartans cut their deficit to six points.
Polly Rystrom's bucket 23 seconds into the fourth quarter pushed the Panthers' advantage to 33-23. Bickert made a hoop with 4:57 remaining in the contest as Red Bluff was down 36-25. Reynolds made a shot with 2:03 to go in the game to give Chico a 38-29 lead. Michelle Knafla made two free throws with 1:06 left as the Panthers went up 42-31.
Reynolds led the Panthers' scoring with nine points. She also took in three rebounds. McGowan and Piluso each scored six points with Piluso also collecting three rebounds. Willard was the Spartans' leading scorer with 10 points. She also corralled three rebounds. Roxanne Luppino added seven points and four rebounds.