The Nease Panthers girls basketball team earned arguably their biggest victory of the season so far following a 49-38 road win over the rival Ponte Vedra Sharks Jan. 12.
What makes it in the running for the biggest and most meaningful win yet this year is the fact that not only did the Panthers claim bragging rights over the Sharks, but they also improved to 1-1 in district 3-6A with the result.
The Panthers received strong performances from several players on the night, including senior Cami Robinson, who led all scorers with a game-high 17 points, which was just one point shy from her season average.
Robinson’s night included a pair of three-pointers and connecting on nine or 10 attempts from the free-throw line.
She continues her memorable senior season, which included reaching 1,000 career points against Tampa Bay Tech on New Year’s Eve.
What makes the Panthers so unique this year is the mix of veteran and youthful key contributors.
One of those top young performers is freshman center Madi Ray, who at 6-foot-2-inches, has continually developed her game this season and learned to use her height to her advantage down low.
Ray posted 14 points and made her presence felt around the rim with seven rebounds and five blocked shots.
Another senior standout for the Panthers against the Sharks was Kendyl Ryan, filled the stat sheet with an all-around night that included seven points, and game-highs with eight rebounds and four steals.
Kennedy Rosendahl led the way for the Sharks with 14 points, however she was the only player that managed to finish the game in double figures scoring.
The Panthers did an excellent job defensively to limit Morgan Gavazzi’s production, as she made only one of 10 shots from the field scored eight points on the night.
Despite the uncharacteristic shooting night, Gavazzi looked to produce in other areas, including shooting 83% from the free-throw line and forcing a team-high two steals.
Maya Richards led the Sharks with five rebounds and had two steals in the game.
The Panthers jumped out to a 14-10 lead at the end of the first quarter and opened it up to 28-16 advantage at halftime.
Despite the Sharks outscoring the Panthers 11-5 in the third quarter, the Panthers picked up the pace again offensively in the fourth quarter en route to the eventual double digit final margin.
