JUDA — The Panthers dropped their home opener 30-56 to the Benton Zephyrs on Thursday, Nov. 17. Senior Ciarrah Davis scored nearly half of the team’s points.
“I’ve been around and watched her since my freshman year in high school, and I don’t think I’ve seen a point guard that can make half the passes that she does,” head coach Austin Pax said. “Her ability to take the ball to the hoop, no matter the size of the person guarding her is phenominal.”
Benton jumped to a 9-0 lead, controlling the tempo and the aggressiveness of the game. Once Juda got into its offensive zone, Benton forced a number of turnovers or simply stole the ball away from the Panthers.
Juda recorded its first points four minutes into the half with a shot from Davis. She created another scoring opportunity, getting fouled by Halle Stluka in the process. At the line, Davis went 2-for-2 to make it 4-13, Benton.
Although she didn’t score, Davis assisted in the next four points, dishing passes to Katie Brooks and Jackie Nusbaum.
The Zephyrs closed out the half outscoring the Panthers 14-2. Ries Stluka made the last two buckets, giving Benton a 33-10 lead.
Juda turned it around in the second, largely due to Davis’ command of the offense. She scored the first points in the second — this time less than a minute in.
For Benton, Halle Stluka then took control, sinking two shots and converting from the free throw line. Her momentum was short-lived, though, as another shot from Davis sparked the Juda offense.
“C finally took some leadership and showed the team how to hustle,” Pax said. “Most good leaders are going to have followers, so I think they started following her afterward.”
Nusbaum then took it to the hoop and was fouled. She converted from the line, finishing a 3-point play. After a Benton bucket, Davis scored two of her own, including a steal on the defensive end. Alexxis Metz made up for a foul by draining a three after, and Nusbaum scored her ninth point of the game.
The remainder of the game consisted of failed scoring opportunities from the charity stripe — Juda was 3-for-8 while Benton was 4-for-16 — and jump balls.
Briliey Swedlund and Chey Scheidegger got on the board in the closing minutes, but it wasn’t enough.
Davis was the leading scorer for Juda with 12 points, followed by Nusbaum with nine. Four other players combined for the nine remaining points. For Benton, Genna Langkamp totaled 13 points.
