New look Panthers open season with pair of wins

To start the season, the Mountain Grove Panthers’ basketball team put some mileage on the road, traveling to both Eldon and Van Buren for a pair of contests in five days. The young team responded to the challenge though by winning both games to open the season with a 2-0 record.
At Eldon on Nov. 26, the Panthers’ defense held the Mustangs to just 10 points in the third quarter to cruise late to a 64-41 victory.
In the first quarter, Eli Golden made three 3-pointers and had eight points in a 24-point frame to go up by eight.
Eldon responded with a 14-5 second quarter to take a one point lead into the break.
Golden added another eight points in the third quarter to take back control of the game.
Kale Gardner scored five points and J.P. Dickey had four points in the final frame to help the Panthers pull away for the 23-point win.
Golden scored 21 points; Gardner added 16; Sam Peterson had 13 points; Aden Estep scored 10 points; and Dickey had four points.
The Panthers then took part in the Van Buren Shootout over the weekend and left with a 61-54 win over Kennett.
Estep made two 3-pointers in a 17-point first quarter to set the pace early.
Gardner then scored nine of his team’s 13 points in the second quarter to give the Panthers a 30-20 lead at halftime.
Gardner added six more points in a 19-point third quarter. He scored six points in the fourth to help the Panthers hold on for the seven-point victory. Gardner finished with 23 points; Estep added 15; Dickey scored eight points; both Destin Unger and Golden had five points; Peterson had three points; and Brady Anderson scored two points.