Four Bucks Reach Double Figures in Key Bucktail Road Win at Austin
By Bees O’Brien
AUSTIN- Bucktail took on the frigid cold on Monday with a trip into Potter County to meet up with the Austin Panthers for the second time this season. The Bucks dominated the Panthers by 24 points back in December, but this meeting at Austin tested the Bucks from start to finish.
Austin honored their lone senior Brayden Stuckey prior to the game during their Senior Night festivities and head coach Jon Ogden’s senior didn’t disappoint the home town crowd during the Panthers’ “White Out” night.
Stuckey scored 8 of his squad’s 12 first quarter points, but it was the hot shooting of the Bucks that set the pace in the game’s initial frame. Senior Ethan Charcalla scorched a trio from beyond the arc, fellow senior Gary Whipp buried a three and Gavin Pick drained a three of his own and scored 7 points in the first.
Bucktail led 21-12 after one quarter, but Austin showed up to play. The Panthers, behind more shooting from Stuckey outscored Bucktail 14-11 in the second quarter. Stuckey finished the first half with 15 of Austin’s 26 first half points.
Despite his efforts, Stuckey’s team still trailed the Bucks 32-26. Bucktail began to gain some space in the third quarter by finally cooling down an Austin offense that came into the game struggling on offense as of late. The Panthers scored just 28 points in their last outing in a loss at Oswayo Valley.
Austin’s 7-point third quarter looked like the Panthers of old and not the same team that scored 26 points against one of District IV’s top 1A teams. The Bucks failed to really put away Austin by only netting 12 points in the frame.
A pair of three pointers from Stuckey and a big three-point basket from Luke Fowler helped the Panthers keep things close. Austin outscored the Bucks 14-11 to set the 55-47 final.
Stuckey finished an impressive Senior Night by dropping in 27 points, including 7 three-point baskets. Carson Cooney added 9 points and Fowler chipped in 8 points for the now 4-11 Panthers.
Ethan Charcalla’s 13 points led the Bucks. Gary Whipp and Talan Ditty each added 12 points and Gavin Pick finished the night by scoring 11 points.
The road win will go along way in helping the Bucks keep their Top 4 position in the current District IV playoff standings. The Top 4 teams will host a home quarterfinal contest. Bucktail, now 6-8 will be looking to keep things rolling at their own Senior Night on Wednesday when they host Benton (1-12) before they take a long trip to McAllisterville the very next night and face the Lions of Juniata Christian (0-6).
