The Merrell Center had a great turnout Tuesday night as the Cypress Springs boys basketball team soundly defeated Morton Ranch 72-56 in a 5A-Region III bi-district game.

The Panthers (27-6) were coming off a big win against Strake Jesuit and a second-place finish in District 17-5A. Morton Ranch lost Friday to Hastings and finished third in District 18-5A.

The Mavericks could not make up the deficit in points that began in the first minutes of play as the Panthers jumped out to a 10-0 lead they never relinquished.

The loss of 6-foot-6 Erik Williams to a foot injury had forced Cy Springs to revise its strategy of play.

As a result his teammates had stepped up and were putting more points on the board than before. Senior guard Jon Smith had 17 on the night, while Philip McDonald racked 17 hitting some perfectly placed 3-point shots, and Ernest Wafer finished with 14 points.

The first quarter ended with Cy Springs ahead 19-13 and the game still belonged to anyone. Morton Ranch had seen its fair share of the free throw line and the outside shots were falling just right for the Panthers.

The second quarter was characterized by Maverick Kevin Foster playing all over the court with fervor, spurring his teammates along. McDonald was a powerhouse with the outside shots for the Panthers. Cy Springs capitalized on rebounds and sound passing to build a 37-24 lead.

The Mavericks came out with a few new faces and tightened up their defense putting pressure on the Panthers. This just seemed to heighten the Panthers momentum. A steal and three pointer by McDonald soon followed by a steal and a basket by Wafer made it 50-36 at the end of the third.

Playing to the last buzzer, the Cy Springs Panthers finished strong and in charge with a 72=56 victory that moves them one step closer to what every team practices for all year long.

Cy Springs will play Bellaire in the area round later this week. 

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