The season is still young and the Panthers are just as young. A team made up of four second year and 12 first year student athletes. Coach Montoyo Wooten brought together a mix of basketball players from around the world who all want to play at the highest level. Most of them have played on high-school and American Amateur Association (AAU) teams throughout their lives. However, the challenge of college basketball is different. It's the speed of the action, the pace of the changes and yes, the level of the IQ's that separates college from anything but the professional leagues.

College basketball requires a commitment to be a student of the game just as much as it does to be a player. Coach Wooten and the Panthers entered the game against Hagerstown CC after losing a tough one to Allegany College just a few days prior. Hagerstown was a team that had given the Panthers trouble over the past few years and were having a good season thus far. The Panthers started the game with 7 straight turnovers. It seemed as though everyone was playing at a different speed and the passes were either before or after the player was there to receive it. After a timely timeout by Coach Wooten the Panthers started to make some plays. Their defense kept Hagerstown from getting to far ahead and then it led to some fast breaks and easy points. The team got back into rhythm and the game was on.

The first half ended with the Panthers leading 33-30. The second half the team came out and executed plays and made everything just a little harder for Hagerstown when they had the ball. Timely baskets by Sophomore Marquise Delahaye and Freshmen Bryson Spruell led the Panthers to a double digit lead they maintained throughout the second half. Delahaye led all scores with 20. He was joined in double figures by Spruell, Sophomore Ifanieye Lewis and freshmen Jeremiah woodland, who was a spark for them team. He came off the bench stole the ball a few times and got the bench and the crowd off their feet with a flying sidespin layup.

The final score was 74-67. Next up for the Panthers is Eastern Arizona College. They are currently ranked 20^th in the nation. Game time 2:00 pm Saturday December 14^th at the PE Center.