FROM STAFF REPORTS

The Pelham High School girls’ basketball team defeated John Carroll Catholic 49-28 in high school basketball action Dec. 8.

Sydney Days led the Panthers (7-2) with a game-high 15 points in the victory.

Ashley Kate Kepler added 14 points and a team-high nine rebounds in the win.

BOYS

Pelham’s Xavier Lacey scored a game-high 20 points and the Panthers finished on a 22-2 run to cruise past visiting John Carroll, 60-30, Thursday night.

It was only the second home game of the season for Pelham which improved its record to 6-2.  The Cavaliers fell to 3-7 and lost to the Panthers for the second time this season.  Pelham also defeated John Carroll in it season opener.

Lacey turned in his finest offensive game of the season as he connected on 9-of-20 field goals, scoring 12 of his points in the first half as Pelham built a 26-16 halftime advantage.

John Carroll grabbed a 6-2 lead two minutes into the game after a pair of free throws by Justin Coleman and two baskets by Chris Turk.  But the Panthers outscored the Cavs by a 14-2 margin the rest of the quarter and never trailed again.

After John Carroll’s Griffin Lee hit a three-pointer to cut the Pelham lead to 38-28 with 1:35 to play in the third quarter, the Cavs went nearly seven minutes without a point as the Panthers stretched their cushion by scoring 20 unanswered points.

The Cavaliers finally halted the drought with a basket with just 2:21 remaining but by then, the Panthers owned a 58-30 lead.

Qadash Williams finished with nine points for Pelham while Justin Brooks added eight and D.J. Johnson and Trey Hurst seven each.  Zach Morton pulled down 10 rebounds and scored four points in 17 minutes of action off the bench.

The Panthers connected on 51 percent from the field for the game, hitting 22-of-43 shots.  Pelham also hit on a perfect 14-of-14 from the free throw line.

The Cavaliers managed just 30 percent (12-of-40) from the floor.  Coleman scored 13 points for John Carroll while Turk added 10.