Van Alstyne 62, Bonham 42

By Jack Walker

Staff Writer

The Panthers dialed up enough long-distance shots in the first half to use up all their rollover minutes on the way to a 20-point win over the Bonham Warriors on Tuesday night.

Chance Miller had three of the five three-balls made by the Panthers in the first half as they slowly pulled away from the visitors en route to the 62-42 win.

Miller drained the first long shot off of an in-bounds play early in the opening period and that shot was matched by shots from Levi DeMasters and Austin Rogers that were launched from beyond the arc.

Bonham got a pair of treys from Dalton Cagle to hang close as the Panthers took a 13-10 lead in the first.

Back-to-back three's by Miller started the offense in the second quarter for Van Alstyne. He got a "member's" bounce on the second as the Panthers were keeping pace with the visitors in the early going.

A three-ball by Blaze Blain and another by Cagle kept Bonham in the contest.

The Panthers jacked up the defensive pressure late in the half and a basket by Chance Grayson and four-of-five from the free-throw line by Miller bumped the VA lead to seven at the break.

After Hunter Herriage had opened the third quarter with a three-point shot for Bonham, Van Alsytne went on a 10-0 run to get some distance on the scoreboard. Zack Willingham dropped in a shot after a nice ball fake shed his defender, and the Panthers were up by 15 as the final period began.

There were no comebacks in the cards for the Warriors tonight even though Rasheed Jones scored a couple baskets early in the final eight.

A basket then an old-school three point play by D.J.Seay stretched the lead to 19 before a Grayson steal and score pretty much sealed the deal on the one-win Warriors.

Van Alstyne hosts Anna tonight in the Pack the House event as the Panthers try to upset the Coyotes who are currently in second place in the district. Van Alstyne is in a fight with Commerce for the final playoff spot from the league and they will travel to Commerce next Tuesday night.

Bonham 10 10 7 15-42

Van Alstyne 13 14 15 20-62

VA: Chance Miller 25, D.J. Seay 11, Levi DeMasters 7, Slater Siedelmann 7, Chance Grayson 4, Zack Willingham 4, Austin Rogers 3, Colten Campbell 1.