West San Jose Resident

Sports

Panthers knock off Rams

By Greg Lydon

Part two was a little too close for comfort for Prospect boys basketball coach Mike Furlong, but he'll take it.

In a rematch of a preseason meeting with Blossom Valley Athletic League Santa Teresa Division rival Willow Glen, the Panthers fought off a late Rams comeback attempt to earn their second league win in a 50-44 win at Prospect in Saratoga.

Nate Taye, who manned the quarterback spot for the Panthers football team, led the way with 21 points.

Scoring the majority of his 21 in the paint, Taye was the best athlete and the best player on the floor Saturday night.

"This was a really big win for us tonight," Furlong said. "Both teams are in the bottom of the league, and getting this one at home after we had seen them and beat them early in the preseason was huge for us."

Prospect is now 2-5 in league play and 6-12 overall, while Willow Glen falls to 2-5 in Santa Teresa play and 5-14 overall.

The inside-outside duo of Willow Glen shooting guard Ricky Huynh and center Jimmy Renneke drew the majority of the preparation and focus from Prospect.

"Those two were the guys that hurt us in the first meeting," Furlong said. "We got off to a good start against them, then I look up in the second half and those guys start getting going and Willow Glen is right back in the game. Both of them are great basketball players."

Panthers forward Shane Miller set the tone right off the bat for Prospect with a big time swat inside. Miller blocked three shots, while Prospect 6-foot-4 center Damein Jackson sent away five shots during the contest.

The Panthers swat team shared duties, slowing down Renneke early by holding the Rams big man off the board in the opening quarter.

Jackson hit the glass for an offensive board put back for the opening score, followed by back-to-back jump shots from Miller to get Prospect going on the right foot offensively.

Steven Tucker and Alan Lynn both drilled three-pointers for the Panthers helping them take a 14-5 lead into the second quarter.

"I was a little nervous when they came out in a zone against us," Furlong said. "I knew if we didn't shoot well, we could be in trouble. I brought Lynn into the game, and he hit a big three for us."