Panther hoops is back in action.
After successful seasons by both JV and varsity last winter, Franklin will enter the coming year as a new-look program, having lost several front-line former seniors to graduation. This summer, the teams seek to establish new identities, tipping off a month of scrimmages and camps vs. Cherokee June 5.
JV
For the evening’s first action, JV head coach Tres Rogers’ squad welcomed the Braves for two 16-minute periods on Tom Raby Court. In a “rematch” of two 24-plus-point Panther victories last regular season, both sides looked evenly matched in the early goings, with several different players making shots for the Panthers. Up 17-13 midway through the first, promising freshman Will Rauers took over the game, racking up four points, two steals and an impressive behind-the-back assist. Cherokee kept pace with the Panthers however, ending the period down just 23-19.
Franklin slowly built their lead in the second, eventually taking a 41-32 lead to force a Cherokee timeout with just under five minutes remaining. After the break, freshman Anderson Terrell stymied the Braves’ comeback attempt with two steals and an assist to end the scrimmage up 50-38.
Varsity
In a “rematch” of two 35-plus-point Panther victories last regular season, the schools’ varsity squads then took the court for two 25-minute periods. Junior guards Max McClure and Braylen Dezarn looked sharp in the early goings, with McClure posting five points and Dezarn adding two points and two steals.
Up 9-5 after the first few minutes, center Jacob Gibson and guard Noah Brannon took over, with Brannon posting 10 points and Gibson adding four points, an assist and a block. Cherokee was forced to call timeout down 29-19 with eight minutes left. After the break, senior guard Reed Raby added five points to help end the first period up 43-28.
McClure heated up again to start the second, racking up 11 points to extend Franklin’s lead to 60-44 and force a Brave timeout with 15 minutes to play. Despite a steal and an assist from sophomore guard Addix Sutton, Cherokee made things interesting after the break, scoring 12 straight points to cut Franklin’s lead to 71-59 and force a Panther timeout with 6:45 remaining. After talking things over with head coach Doug Plemmons and assistants Rogers and Ryan Raby, the Panther offense kicked back into gear in the final minutes, getting four points from Gibson and two points and an assist from Dezarn. Franklin ended the scrimmage up 77-69 over a Braves team that seemed to have improved since last winter.
With the scrimmage win over Cherokee in hand, on June 7 the varsity Panthers traveled to Johnson University in Knoxville, Tennessee, for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes Boys’ Basketball Camp. After returning from Knoxville June 9, the team hosted Cherokee and Enka June 13, but the scrimmages were played after press time.
Having lost six former seniors to graduation this month, including All-Conference players Cal Drake, Parker Cabe and Kehler Lamb, a new crop of Panthers will be given expanded minutes this year. With Drake, Cabe, and former seniors Ty Handley and Luke Vanhook no longer protecting the rim, the team will employ a smaller lineup this year, built on shooting, playmaking and ballhandling from guards like McClure, Dezarn and Brannon. As the only returning All-Conference player, McClure will likely spearhead Franklin’s offense, taking (and making) the team’s free throws after a Braves technical foul in the second period.