Panthers fall short to Spartans

MT. PLEASANT — Thursday night was just not Mt. Pleasant basketball’s night as first half scoring woes burdened the Panthers against Solon.

Despite scoring a total of 12 points in the first half, Mt. Pleasant had a chance to tie it in the fourth, but couldn’t complete the comeback as they fell, 49-36, in the Class 3A substate 6 semifinal.

Out of the gate, both the Panthers and Spartans struggled to put the ball in the basket.

After a pair of missed free throws by the Panthers, the Spartans opened up the scoring with a three ball at the 4:50 mark.

That would prove to be their sole points of the period.

Aaiden Ashton got the Panthers on the board just under two minutes later, hitting one of two from the stripe.

Ashton did all of the Panthers’ scoring through the first quarter, hitting an additional free throw and a layup in the final seconds give the Panthers a 4-3 advantage after one.

“I felt like we were getting some decent looks,” Mt. Pleasant head coach Eric Rawson said. “We just had a lid on the basket. It felt like we could throw the ball into the ocean.”

In the second, the offensive struggles continued for the Panthers, while Solon began to find its rhythm.

After a two by the Spartans put them up 5-4, Carter Amos delivered for Mt. Pleasant a two of his own to put them back up one, 6-5, but they would never lead again.

Over the next 4:30, Solon outscored the Panthers 10-4, to put itself up 15-10.

Ashton, who scored the previous four, dropped in the Panthers’ final points of the quarter with 1:46 to go, making it 15-12, but Solon closed out the first-half with a pair of lay-ins to make it 19-12 at the half.

Ashton scored all, but two of the Panthers first half points.

Through the third quarter, both teams were dead even.

Owen Vansickel got the Panther within three, 20-17, with his first points of the night on a three ball.

With just a matter of second to go in the third period, Solon held its largest lead of the night at 30-21, but an Ashton two at the buzzer cut it back down to seven, 30-23.

In the fourth, Mt. Pleasant got it back down to a one possession game.

Following a pair of free throws from Solon, Mt. Pleasant got a bucket from Ashton and back-to-back contested lay-ins from Amos to cut it three, 32-29, with 4:41 to go.

That is as close as they would come.

Mt. Pleasant went on to score just seven points the rest of the way out, while Solon dropped in 17 to seal it.

Ashton finished with 18 points and seven rebounds in his final game. Amos followed with 10 points and Vansickel tallied four in their final outing. Nate Stroud and Christian Stacy each had two points.

“The seniors have been integral to the program for a while,” Rawson said. “They’ve taught the younger guys what it takes to get things done, show up and be ready to go everyday. It’s been a very special group to be apart of.”

Mt. Pleasant ends its season at 18-6.