Masuk High’s girls basketball team followed up a hard-fought setback with a lopsided win playing on back-to-back nights. The Panthers lost 58-46 at Newtown on Thursday, whittling a 24-point deficit down to nine before falling short, then beat Harding of Bridgeport 65-39 on Friday.
In the win, Masuk had four players in double figures. Grace Sheppard scored 15 points, Maddie Farrer had 13 points and eight rebounds. Sydney Lampley also scored 13 points. Izzy DeBernardo registered a career-high 11 points.
Emma Troesser had seven points to go along with five steals. Freshman Elena Granata provided great minutes off the bench and logged a career-high eight points.
The night before against Newtown, Masuk trailed 35-14 at the half and it was 38-14 early in the third. The Panthers were down 50-35 going to the fourth and chipped away, following up a 21-point third quarter with 11 in the fourth.
Down nine with 5:47 to go, Masuk went on to have five possessions with which to cut further into the lead but could not get any closer. Trailing 54-43 a 3-pointer by Sheppard made it an eight point contest with 2:33 left as Masuk hung in this one.
“It shows a lot of character the way the kids fought all the way to the end,” Coach Dan Young said.
The Masuk coach’s counterpart gave Young and the Panthers praise for clawing back.
“He had his kids fight until the end,” Newtown Coach Jeremy O’Connell said.
Troesser and Lampley both logged 14 points, Sheppard finished with 10, Elena Granata had six and Farrer tacked on two.
Masuk has a record of 4-5 and will visit Stratford Tuesday at 6 p.m.
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