Panther Creek falls to hot-shooting Weddington in NCHSAA 4A final
Panther Creek boys basketball coach Shawan Robinson, while a Leesville Road student-athlete, entered the Dean Smith Center media room after finishing the N.C. 4A state final as a runner-up. Robinson made that same somber walk Saturday, 21 years after a 21-point loss.
Panther Creek, a first-time state finalist, trailed by double digits throughout the second half of a 76-58 loss to Weddington (Matthews), now a most unique repeat state champion.
The runner-up Catamounts saw an eight-point (22-14) deficit stretched to 11 (34-23) at halftime and 21 (57-36) after three quarters.
Panther Creek (23-8) was stymied by 38 percent field-goal shooting in the first half against Weddington’s trademark 1-1-3 defense. The Catamounts converted just four 3-pointers for the game in which Weddington made 10 long-range shots among 61.5 percent field-goal shooting. That was the third-best shooting performance in an NCHSAA state final since 1986 when neutral site games began.
”Tonight, we ran into a very good, very veteran Weddington team,” Robinson said. “Well coached, they were very prepared, and they made us pay when we made mistakes.
”Needless to say, I’m very proud of our guys.”
The Catamounts surrendered five 3-pointers — four by A.J. Cook (17 points) — in the third quarter, when Weddington posted its highest single period scoring total (23).
Panther Creek was paced by Eastern Champion Most Outstanding Player Amari Odom, who scored 12 of his 19 points in the second half. Odom converted 10 of 12 free throws for the game.
Odom was the lone Catamounts player who scored in double figures. Weddington’s Kyle Frazier and Chase Lowe scored 12 and 11, respectivelym before halftime. Western Most Outstanding Player Frazier finished with 21. Lowe, named Championship MVP, netted 19, along with seven rebounds, four steals and two assists.
Weddington (31-0) won the 3A state championship last season before the Warriors transitioned to the 4A classification this year. Weddington, nationally ranked, has won 49 consecutive games, and last lost more than two calendar years ago.
”I do believe that we are the best team in the state regardless of classification,” Weddington coach Gary Ellington said.
”It doesn’t matter who we’re playing. We’re going to feel like we’ve got a chance to win, and these guys are going to get after it.”
PHOTOS FROM THE GAME
This story was originally published March 12, 2022 at 10:54 PM with the headline "Panther Creek falls to hot-shooting Weddington in NCHSAA 4A final."