The Palmyra Cougars typically have all the answers at home, but on Monday the Hempfield Black Knights proved too difficult a challenge. They sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 56-53 win over the Cougars. The win was all the more spectacular given Hempfield's disadvantage in MaxPreps' Pennsylvania basketball rankings (they are ranked 355th, while Palmyra is ranked 166th).
Palmyra's defeat came despite a true team effort from the offense, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Mya Doster, who dropped a double-double on 18 points and 12 rebounds. The team also got some help courtesy of Keely Bowers, who scored 22 points.
Hempfield's win ended a six-game drought on the road dating back to last season and puts them at 7-9. As for Palmyra, this is the second loss in a row for them and nudges their season record down to 13-4.
Both squads are looking forward to the support of their home crowds in their upcoming games. Hempfield will take on Central Dauphin at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday. As for Palmyra, they won't have much time to rest: their next game is against Lower Dauphin at 7:00 p.m. on January 30th.
