JEFFERSON — Head coach Nic Peasley admitted his team did not play well. But he was especially proud of the effort his Panorama boys basketball team made despite struggling in some areas.
Panorama trailed host Greene County by as much as 20 points in the second half and entered the fourth quarter trailing, 58-44, before rallying to tie the score at 72-all with five seconds to play.
Unfortunately for the visitors, Carter Morton sank the second of two free throws to give the Rams (2-7) a 73-72 lead, which stood up when the Panthers (6-4) could not sink a final, dramatic shot.
The opener had no such drama, as the Panther girls roared to a 75-25 win. The victory moves Panorama to 8-2 overall while Greene County fell to 0-9.
Morton entered the game averaging 16.4 points per game and shooting just 22.6 percent on 3-pointers but went off Monday, splashing seven treys and hitting 9-of-12 at the stripe to finish with 38 points.
The Rams led, 19-12, after one quarter and 42-25 at the half. They were up by 20 points midway through the third, but the Panthers began to slowly chip away at their deficit.
A pair of 10-6 runs in the fourth brought the score to 70-64 with a minute to play, with Panorama knotting the score at 72-all in the waning moments before Morton sank the fatal foul shot.
Malachi Peasley hit four triples and led Panorama with 18 points, with Kolby Shackelford (three treys) and Michael Allen each adding 14 points. Zach Rizzuti had 13 points, Domonic Walker, six, Brice and Drew Taylor three apiece and Lucas Leiferman one. Rizzuti and Walker had two 3-pointers apiece and Brice Taylor one.
Bryce Stalder had 19 points (four treys), Zach Goff six points, and Caden Lowmiller four on one triple and one free throw. Nick Breon, Cael Fisher and Jackson Morton capped the scoring with two points apiece.
The girls game was a blowout from the onset, with Panorama leading, 23-5, after one quarter and expanding their margin to 52-9 at the break. A 21-13 third quarter put the score at 72-22 entering the last eight minutes, in which the Rams scored three points and the Panthers two.
Payton Beckman led the way with 30 points for Panorama, with Laci Rishel adding 17 points. Ella Waddle and Angel Poldberg had nine points apiece, Anna Holloway six, and Shey Storesund and Jaden Johnson two each.
Rishel made four 3-pointers, Beckman two and Waddle one for the guests.
Izzy Bravard scored 12 of her team-high 16 points for the Rams on four treys, with Biranna Habben providing six points. Natalie Heupel had a 3-pointer and was the only other Greene County player to score.
Panorama is at Woodward-Granger Tuesday before hosting Des Moines Christian Friday.
