The Nickerson Panthers pushed their score all the way to 58 on Friday, but even that wasn't enough to win. They fell 66-58 to Smoky Valley. The loss unfortunately continues a disappointing trend for Nickerson in their matchups with the Vikings: they've now lost four in a row.
Several Panthers players turned in solid performances despite ultimately coming up short. Perhaps the best among those players was Taylor Engelland, who scored 22 points. As a matter of fact, that's the most points Engelland has scored all season. Another player making a difference was Skyler Wakefield, who scored 11 points along with seven assists and five rebounds.
Even though they lost, Nickerson were working as a unit and finished the game with 11 assists. That's the most assists they've managed all season.
Ki Blanchat was his usual excellent self, scoring 24 points along with five rebounds and two steals for Smoky Valley. The team also got some help courtesy of Taylor Campbell, who scored 14 points along with two steals and two blocks.
Nickerson's defeat dropped their record down to 4-11. As for Smoky Valley, their victory bumped their record up to 3-11.
Both teams will have to hit the road in their upcoming games. Nickerson will take on the Lions at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Lyons and the Panthers are at an even 4-4 over their past eight head-to-heads. As for Smoky Valley, they will head out on the road to face off against the Cardinals at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Hoisington presents a significant challenge as they come into the match much higher ranked than the Vikings in Kansas (the Cardinals are ranked 114th, while the Vikings are ranked 258th).
