By Jeff Devine, Editor-in-Chief, Dale County Chronicle
The Wicksburg Panthers and Houston Academy met Tuesday night in a three-game basketball showdown marked by momentum swings and late-game chances. After Wicksburg recorded a clean sweep in the teams’ previous meeting, Houston Academy answered with a sweep of its own, winning all three contests.
Varsity Boys
The varsity boys’ game proved challenging for Wicksburg from the opening tip. Houston Academy built an early advantage, leading 20–12 after the first quarter and extending the margin to 30–23 by halftime. The visitors continued to pull away in the third quarter, taking a 43–30 lead. Wicksburg struggled to find a consistent shooting rhythm throughout the night, and Houston Academy closed out the game to secure the opening win of the evening.
Varsity Girls
The varsity girls’ matchup was another down-to-the-wire contest between the two programs. The teams were tied 19–19 at halftime before Houston Academy edged ahead 35–32 by the end of the third quarter. For the second straight game, Wicksburg had chances late to either tie or win, including shots in the final moments, but the ball would not fall. The narrow loss mirrored a recent trend for the Panthers, who have seen multiple close games decided in the closing seconds.
JV Boys
The junior varsity boys’ contest was tightly contested from start to finish. Wicksburg held slim leads at every break, going up 6–3 after the first quarter, 18–16 at halftime, and 28–26 at the end of the third. As with the other games, the outcome came down to the final possession. Houston Academy managed to take the lead late, and Wicksburg’s last shot came up short, resulting in a 35–33 win for Houston Academy.
The Panthers’ JV boys are set to return to action Friday night at Northside, with tipoff scheduled for 4:30 p.m.
With the sweep, Houston Academy evened the season series between the two schools, answering Wicksburg’s earlier sweep with one of its own. Despite the losses, the Panthers showed competitiveness throughout the night, particularly in the varsity girls and JV boys games, both of which were decided in the final moments. Be sure to check out the Panthers as they take on Northside Friday night with JV boys kicking things off at 4:30 p.m., followed by the varsity girls, and the varsity boys rounding out the night.
