MONTICELLO – A packed gymnasium buzzing with energy and spirited cheerleaders set the stage for a hard-fought matchup between two teams eager for a victory. The Panthers entered the night at 1–3, still searching for their first home win of the season, while the O’Neill Raiders, 1–2, were ready to compete and make their mark on the hardwood.

The first half was marked by frequent traveling violations from both teams and a rash of turnovers by the Panthers. Still, the Panthers closed the half with a strong surge, sparked by a timely fast-break layup and a three-point attempt that drew a foul by senior guard Miguel Cruz, who had already knocked down a three earlier in the quarter. Cruz converted two of three free throws to pull the Panthers within two points at the break.

The third quarter unfolded as a shot-for-shot battle, highlighted by electrifying fast-break finishes from sophomore Jasani Stovall and crowd-pleasing blocks by 6-foot-6 senior Jayden Dempsey. The evenly contested period ended with the teams knotted at 29–29.

With 38 seconds remaining and Monticello inbounding the ball just past midcourt, O’Neill’s scrappy Barretto leapt to deflect the pass, forcing a turnover. Possession quickly changed hands again, and despite no foul call as speedy sophomore guard Jakari Jones had his foot tied up by a Raiders player on the floor, he managed to heave the ball ahead to Daniel Weyer streaking downcourt. Weyer’s crafty dribbling burned valuable time off the clock, but O’Neill responded when Elias Moran blocked a pass to force yet another turnover.

Moments later, with the score 40–37 and 13.6 seconds left, sophomore guard Jayxander Vera Soto came up with a critical blocked three-pointer, a pivotal play in sealing the Panthers’ victory. On the ensuing possession, the Panthers iced the game as Weyer delivered a football-style outlet pass to Omari Ramos for an uncontested layup, sealing the 42–37 win as the buzzer sounded.

O’Neill’s Sean Larkens led all scorers with 16 points, followed by teammate Hoben Barretto with eight. For Monticello, Stovall added eight points. But it was Panthers’ sophomore forward Daniel Weyer who made the difference, finishing with 15 points and delivering aggressive, skillful play that repeatedly swung momentum as Monticello erased the deficit and took control down the stretch.

Reflecting on the win afterward, Weyer credited his teammates and the halftime adjustment. “We didn’t start the game well — too many turnovers,” he said. “But after halftime, we had a good talk in the locker room and started to turn it around. My teammates motivated me to play better, and I tried to do that.”

Monticello Head Coach Russo praised his team’s second-half response and growth. 

“Our response in the second half was really good,” Russo said. “I think we went on a 12–2 run. We got stops and didn’t turn the ball over. We’re a young team still learning how to play in close games, and even though the final possessions got a little scary, it’s all part of the learning process this year. I’m proud of our progress. They play hard for me.”

Fighting back emotion, Russo closed simply, “I love coaching them.”