Panther cagers have put together standout season
The Fairbanks High School boys basketball team has put together one of its best seasons in more than two decades.
With Saturday’s thrilling, buzzer-beating victory at Benjamin Logan, the Panthers reached the 20-win milestone for the first time since the 1992-93 season.
I think folks knew that FHS was going to have a solid season.
There were plenty of veteran players on the roster such as seniors Cross Hackathorne, Tyler Beem, Jacob Nicol, Mason Smith, Seth Standley, Nick Murray, Justin Brackenridge and Cary Calder to provide leadership.
Hackathorne ended the regular season as the team’s leading scorer with 13 points-per-game. Beem and Nicol scored in the nine-point range and Smith scored 7.4.
Braylon Green went into his first varsity season as a sophomore and has provided plenty of inside scoring and rebounding. He finished fifth in the conference on the boards with 8.8 per game. He was also the team’s second-leading scorer at 10.5 per outing.
The season began with a tough home loss against a strong Jonathan Alder team.
The Panthers, who are ranked in the final AP Division III state poll (see page 2B), then went on a nine-game winning streak before falling to Worthington Christian.
FHS then wrapped up the regular season with 11 consecutive victories to conclude with a 20-2 record.
The program has shown steady improvement over the past four seasons.
Fans will remember that head coach Justin George took over the program on the first day of preseason practice for the 2015-16 campaign.
George had been the Panthers’ junior varsity coach before the varsity coach resigned on that day.
There had been several previous players who had decided they were not going to play their senior seasons that year.
George was able to convince several of them to return, but the results were predictable.
The team struggled to just four victories as the athletes had to learn a new system and coach on the fly.
The past three campaigns have produced double-digit victories and two Ohio Heritage Conference North Division championships.
This year has been particularly special since not only did the Panthers claim a divisional title, but they did so by running the table (16-0) against OHC opponents.
Winning a conference championship wasn’t all that surprising to many folks with all of the talent.
Going unbeaten in the OHC, however, was a great mark on the team’s resume.
It takes a lot of concentration and willpower to go through an entire conference slate without a loss.
In doing so, Fairbanks won the North crown by three games over West Jefferson.
It’s been often said that sports history can repeat itself.
The last time the Panthers reached the 20-win milestone came 26 years ago, when current assistant coach Scott Coon was the head coach.
Athletic director Larry Morris was Coon’s assistant that season.
The 1992-93 campaign saw the Panthers win a district championship.
Wil history repeat itself this post-season for Fairbanks?
Only time will tell.