PANORA, Iowa — Class 2A No. 6 Panorama held off Class 1A No. 10 Martensdale-St. Marys for a 44-41 win non-conference girls basketball Tuesday, with visiting M-SM scoring a 69-64 win in the boys contest.
The opener was marked by an individual milestone, as Panorama senior Payton Beckman scored 22 points to surpass the 1,500 career point marker. Now at 1,510 points, she trails only older sister Bailey (1,579) on the school all-time scoring list.
Panorama (16-1) led only 16-14 after one period and entered the half with just a 25-24 lead. The hosts opened a 35-29 gap entering the final frame, then held off a late charge to hand the Blue Devils (14-1) their first loss of the season.
Beckman led the hosts with three 3-pointers, with Angel Poldberg and Zoey Hambleton each making one.
Jaidyn Sellers had a strong all-around effort, scoring 10 points while grabbing 16 rebounds, making four steals and blocking two shots. Poldberg had five points and three blocks, Laci Rishel four points and four steals and Hambleton three points, with Beckman contributing five thefts.
M-SM (13-1) halted an eight-game win streak for the Panorama boys (11-5) in the second tightly-played contest.
The Blue Devils led by one point, 19-18, after one frame, by two, at 31-29, after the second and by four, 52-48, after the third.
Jared Wasson had 16 points to pace the Panthers, with Braylon Dawes adding 14. Brice Taylor had 13 points and Braedon Draper 11, with Maddox Hammerstrom having eight points and Klayton Bremer two.
Wasson had 11 rebounds and Draper 10, with Taylor having 10 assists.
The hosts simply had no answer for Gavin Stott, who poured in 33 points and cleared seven boards. He sank six of his nine 3-point attempts and was 9-of-9 on free throws.
The Panther girls travel for another real test tonight (Thursday) when they face 1A No. 3 Exira/Elk Horn-Kimballton. The Panther boys host Woodward Academy Friday, with both Panorama squads traveling to Woodward-Granger Tuesday before hosting Des Moines Christian Feb. 4.
