Panthers win first round

By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer

It’s been a long haul for the Saratoga High School boys basketball team this last month, but practice made perfect as the Panthers took one more step toward the regional title on Thursday.

The Panthers beat Normative Services 88-59 in Torrington during the first round of the 1A east regional tournament.

However, it wasn’t all a cakewalk. Thursday’s game was a challenge only because Saratoga made it one. Maybe it was nerves, maybe it was an overwhelming desire to do well or maybe it was a lack of focus, but the Panthers made too many turnovers, Saratoga coach Rex Hohnholt said.

The Panthers need to sharpen their minds and bodies as they go into Friday’s 5:30 p.m. game against Midwest. Saratoga’s tallest player stands at 6 foot 2 inches tall, 8 inches shorter than one of Midwest’s posts and six inches shorter than the other.

“It’ll be defense by committee, not individually,” Hohnholt said. “We’ll do the job.”
Midwest has speed, but relies mainly on planting the two redwoods at the base of the net. The plan is to try to make Midwest play defense as much as possible and keep the ball away from its end of the court.