The Norfolk Panthers waltzed into their game Saturday with two straight wins but they left with three. They rang in the new year with a 51-43 win over South Sioux City. This was payback for Norfolk, who suffered a 59-53 loss the last time these two teams met.
Norfolk found their leader in underclassman Harper Fossum, who scored ten points. As a matter of fact, that's the most points Fossum has scored all season. The team also got some help courtesy of Tasha Eisenhauer, who scored eight points.
When it comes to explaining why South Sioux City lost, one person who can't be blamed is Brooklyn Heineman. Despite the final result, she scored 19 points along with five rebounds. The match was Heineman's 12th in a row with at least ten points. Another player making a difference was Bailee Durant, who scored 11 points along with six rebounds.
Norfolk pushed their record up to 4-7 with that win, which was their third straight at home. Those victories were due in large part to their offensive dominance across that stretch, as they averaged 52.7 points per game. As for South Sioux City, this is the second loss in a row for them and nudges their season record down to 7-5.
Both squads will have to hit the road in their upcoming games. Norfolk will take on Columbus at 5:30 p.m. on Friday. South Sioux City will be staying on the road on Friday to face off against Omaha Northwest on January 12th. Omaha Northwest is coming into the contest on a six-game losing streak.
