On Thursday, the girls’ basketball team headed to Towson University for the second year in a row. Last year the team was eliminated in the semi-finals by the Roosevelt Raiders who went on to win the state championship. This year the brackets were changed so that the 4A North region champion would play the champion of the east which meant that the Panthers wouldn’t have to play the defending state champs until the finals.

On Thursday the Panthers took on the Old Mill Patriots in the state semifinals game. This was the biggest team the Panthers matched up with all season. The Patriots have two 6-foot starters in their lineup. The Panthers played it tight for the first half and then pulled away in the third quarter after Autumn Ashe drained a 3-from-downtown at the buzzer and took the Panthers into the final 8 minutes 52-41. Senior Dasia Harris played a completely ridiculous game scoring 35 points. The Panthers sent the Patriots packing, 70-48.

On Saturday, the Panthers were looking for revenge and redemption after being blown out by the Raiders last year. Unfortunately for the Panthers, they couldn’t avenge last year’s loss and again dropped a lopsided matchup, 70-42, in the state finals as the Raiders repeated. The Panthers couldn’t make a shot behind the arc in the first half. Ashe and Tyra Sinclair put up shots, but it seemed like nothing would fall for the Panthers. It was as if there were a lid around the rim. The Panthers’ leading scorer, Harris, who had just played the best game of her season two days prior, didn’t make a field goal until the middle of the third quarter. On top of poor shooting, the Panthers couldn’t get a bounce off the glass to get a rebound as the Raiders completely dominated on the boards.

Although the Panthers didn’t finish with a state title like they had hoped, they had an amazing season, finishing 25-2. Expect the Panthers to be visiting Towson next year with 3-point shooting monster Ashe returning, along with 6’4 Sofilia Ngwafang. Tatyana McClaney will also be returning, and the Panthers will be looking for her to step up big. The Panthers will have one of the tallest lineups in the state next year. Congratulations to the Lady Panthers on an excellent season.