Staff Reports

SPRING GARDEN – John and Jake Welsh did their parts to send the Panther boys basketball seniors out with a home win in their regular-season finale on Thursday night. John netted 17 points, including 13 in the fourth quarter, and Jake added 15 in rallying the Class 1A, No. 6 Panthers to a 62-57 victory over Handley.

Senior Jon Marq Rogers added 13 points for the Panthers (16-7). Chapel Pope finished with seven points.

Devontae Higgins led the Tigers with 14 points. Cannon Kyles contributed 12 points. Jamarius Haynes had 11 points, including a pair of 3-pointers. Jordan West and Daquavian Slaughter both finished with five points.

Spring Garden trailed 21-14 at the end of the first quarter and 29-25 at halftime. The Panthers were down 46-39 after three quarters before they went on a 23-11 run in the fourth for the final.

In girls action, the Lady Panthers sent senior guard Kayley Kirk out a winner in their final basketball home of the regular season with a 57-34 victory.

Ace Austin scored 17 points to lead the Class 1A, No. 1 Lady Panthers (29-0). She also had four assists, three steals and three rebounds. Maggie Jarrett rang for 16 points, including four 3-pointers, and grabbed 10 rebounds. She also had three assists.

Kirk collected 14 points with four treys. She also had five rebounds and three assists. Libby Brown finished with five points, three boards, three steals and two assists.

Takerianna Mosley led Handley with nine points. Takeira Tucker tallied eight points.

The Lady Panthers led 16-14 at the end of a quarter, then blew the game open with a 17-6 run in the second to take a 33-20 advantage. Spring Garden held a 46-30 advantage after three quarters and went on an 11-4 run in the fourth for the final.

Spring Garden’s girls close out the regular season on Friday night at Oxford at 6:30 p.m. Spring Garden’s boys play Donoho at Oxford, also on Friday at 5 p.m.