One of the most successful teams in the state in recent months has earned the opportunity to play another away game.

Two years ago, Panther Creek became the unexpected champion of the Eastern division and has now continued to assert their dominance with a commanding 84-73 victory against Millbrook in the third round.

The Catamounts gained a significant edge, trailed by four in the final quarter, but relied on Chris Uwayo to make a comeback and secure the win.

In the fourth quarter, Uwayo’s second three-point shot broke a tied score of 69-69, leading to Panther Creek’s continuous lead. The team made 12 out of 19 three-pointers in their win.

During the first quarter, four players from the team contributed to setting the tone and gave Panther Creek an early lead that they maintained for the next three quarters.

During the second quarter, Uwayo scored 10 out of his 18 total points in the first half, giving the 12-seed team a 40-35 lead at halftime.

During the last few minutes of the third quarter, Kyrie Heredia made a crucial three-point shot at the buzzer to assist Millbrook in closing the gap and reducing their deficit to 59-57. In the same quarter, Colt Langdon scored 8 of his 22 points, leading the team in scoring.

Seven Catamount players scored in the latter half, with Zyvion Puckett contributing a pair of baskets by driving to the rim and also making three three-pointers to help fend off a comeback attempt by the Wildcats.

Panther Creek, working together as a team, successfully made 11 out of 13 free throws in the second half. As a result, they will be traveling to Wilmington on Friday to face top-ranked New Hanover in a rematch.

In December, the Catamounts lost to the Wildcats with a score of 56-44 at the Hoggard Holiday Classic. However, they have since achieved a record of 18-1.

Panther Creek, on its way to being state runner-up in 2022 and having already made four trips in 2014, traveled to New Hanover during the postseason and emerged victorious.

Source: highschoolot.com