Western was not able to break out of their rough patch on Tuesday as the team picked up their third straight defeat. They fell 64-51 to the Oak Hill Golden Eagles. The Panthers were not able to make up for their loss to the Golden Eagles from their previous meeting back in December of 2023.
Sam Thurston
| 02/11/25 @ Oak Hill | 15 |
| 02/06/25 @ Tippecanoe Valley | 5 |
| 02/01/25 vs Clinton Prairie | 7 |
| 01/25/25 @ Mississinewa | 0 |
| 01/18/25 vs Taylor | 3 |
| + 18 more games |
Western's defeat came despite a true team effort with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Sam Thurston, who went 6 for 11 en route to 15 points and six boards. That's the most points Thurston has posted since back in February of 2024. Carter Biggs was another key player, going 8 of 17 to rack up 20 points and five assists.
Oak Hill's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Jace Tonagel led the charge by going 8 for 12 on his way to 22 points and seven rebounds. Tonagel's evening made it eight games in a row in which he has scored at least 16 points. Luke Elzinga also deserves some recognition as he posted his first block of the season.
Western's loss dropped their record down to 10-9. As for Oak Hill, their win was their fifth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 12-4.
Looking ahead, a feisty cat fight will be fought when the Panthers take on the Tigers at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday. As for Oak Hill, they will face off against Blackford at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. Oak Hill is strutting in with some offensive muscle as they've averaged 58.4 points per game this season.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
