The end of the regular season is at hand for Panther women’s hoops.
In the last weeks of their regular season Franklin closed out their Mountain Eight schedule, playing their final six games against conference opponents. With three straight wins including two in blowout fashion, the team entered their season finale with a full head of steam.
On Jan. 29, the team traveled to Tuscola to rehash a Panther home blowout win Jan. 6. There Franklin’s defense harassed Tuscola in the first, racking up three steals and three blocks from Finley Moffitt. Layla Maloy added two 3-pointers and one assist to end the quarter with a 10-5 lead.
Bristol Brooks turned red-hot in the second, posting three 3-pointers and a steal. Moffitt added four points to lead 27-14 at the half.
Franklin’s offense slowed down in the third, led by five points and a steal from Rylee Greene. The Mountaineers ended the quarter down just 36-25.
Tuscola continued their comeback attempt in the fourth, but were matched point-for-point at the other end. Brooks posted five points, a steal and one assist to cement a 50-41 win.
On Feb. 4, the team returned to Tom Raby Court to host North Henderson. In a rematch of a blowout win at North Jan. 9, Franklin again looked like the better team in the first, getting at least three points from four different Panthers. They stifled the Knights on the other end to take an 18-5 lead.
Franklin’s defense refused to let up in the second, racking up six steals and two blocks. Moffitt, Brooks and Aubrey Newsome scored five points apiece to end the half with a 39-12 lead.
Moffitt kept harassing North in the third, racking up three points, two steals and a block. Brooks added six points and a steal to end the quarter up 51-28. Alyssa Awtrey added six points in the fourth en route to a 69-38 win.
Two nights later the Panthers returned to Tom Raby Court to rehash a four-point loss at Smoky Mountain Jan. 12. There the Mustangs came out firing in the first, scoring the game’s first six points. Franklin soon came roaring back however, getting 13 points and three steals combined from Moffitt and Maloy to end the quarter up 18-11.
Brooks heated up in the second, racking up eight points and one assist. Awtrey added three points and a block to end the half with a 31-20 lead.
Brooks and Moffitt kept Smoky at bay in the third, combining for 11 points and a block. Greene added two steals on the other end to finish the quarter up 44-34.
Moffitt kept rolling into the fourth, posting 11 more points and another block. Brooks added four points and a steal down the stretch en route to a 68-41 rout.
The wins improved Franklin’s record to 13-10 overall and 9-4 in the Mountain Eight, where they ended the week in third. They hosted second-place, 11-2 West Henderson in their regular-season finale after press time Feb. 10. They’ll travel to Smoky Mountain for Round 1 of the conference tournament Feb. 13 (time TBD).