Maypearl — The Italy Gladiators were favored coming into the matchup with the Maypearl Panthers but this was Italy vs Maypearl and it was the Panthers’ home floor. With the bleachers on either side filled with fans and with some even opting to sit along the courts edge, the Panthers controlled the opening tip and scored the games first basket to lead 2-0.

Italy’s Jase Holden drives the baseline leaving Panthers in his wake to tie the game 2-2. After a defensive stop, Italy’s Colton Campbell races to the basket and gets a shot up. Holden follows the miss to give Italy a 4-2 edge. Heath Clemons cuts underneath the basket and Jasenio Anderson rifles him a pass thru traffic from atop the arc. Clemons finishes on the opposite side of the backboard and Italy leads 6-2 at the 5:48 mark of the first quarter.

With Maypearl struggling early on offense, Holden had the hot hand and drills in a three-pointer to put the Gladiators up 9-2. Clemons deflects a Panther inbound pass and Campbell makes good on the ensuing fast break opportunity, 11-2 Italy, Maypearl takes a timeout.

Again, Campbell scores from close range and swishes the and-1, 14-2, Gladiators in control. Maypearl finally finds the bottom of the net on back-to-back buckets but De’Andre Sephus hits a running one hander along the baseline to keep Italy well in front, 16-6. Maypearl responds with a three-pointer and, suddenly, it’s a game again, 16-9, with 3:07 left in the opening quarter.

Italy’s Clemons strikes the next blow with a pull up jumper from the foul line, 18-9, Italy leads. Maypearl counters with another three-bomb to stay close, 18-12, 2:15 remaining. Anderson creates a turnover at midcourt and, while on his knees, passes ahead to Devonta Simmons for the high-flying lay in, 20-12 Italy by eight.

Maypearl pulls within three-points before Anderson scores while driving the baseline to make the score 22-17 before the quarter ends.

At the 5:34 mark, the Panthers are the first to score in the second quarter and only trail the Gladiators 22-19. Anderson receives an inbound pass from Holden to make the game 24-19. A pair of Panther free-throws make the score 24-21 and then a basket by Maypearl’s Conner Vaughan pulls the Panthers within one, 24-21, with 3:10 left in the first half.

Italy head coach Aidan Callahan inserts “Mr. Energy,” Brandon Souder who impacts the game immediately. Souder helps to force the Panthers into a backcourt violation call but Italy is unable to get any points off the turnover. Souder’s pressure at the point of attack creates a score for the Gladiators with Holding hitting two free-throws to give Italy a 26-23 advantage. Souder continues to cause chaos and Holden benefits with a layup as Italy begins to rebuild its lead, 28-23.

Maypearl scores and but then fouls Clemons who snagged a defensive rebound with 0:32 to go in the first half. With Italy in the bonus, Clemons hits 1-of-2 and the Gladiators lead 29-25. Holden steals the ball from Maypearl and Anderson is fouled going to the hole. Anderson splits the pair of freebies and Italy leads 30-25. The Panthers hit one last jumper before the break but Italy manages to lead at halftime 30-27.

Larry Mayberry gets Italy on the board first with an offensive rebound that he banks back in, 32-27. Souder causes a roar from Gladiator Nation when he knocks down an open baseline jumper, 34-27 Italy. Anderson misses a pair of free-throws but Souder leaps out under basket to rebound the miss and passes back in to Clemons. Clemons then swings the ball to Anderson who drops in a triple from the top of the key and Italy leads 37-27.

Souder and his teammates are not done yet and get the referee to enforce the five-second rule against Maypearl’s inbounder and Italy reclaims possession. Mayberry yanks down another offensive board and scores the put back to give Italy a 39-27 cushion.

Anderson steals the ball and bounce passes to Clemons, resembling the Magic-to-Worthy combination from the old-school Lakers, who makes the layup and give the Gladiators a 41-27 lead, their biggest lead of the game thus far. Timeout, Maypearl!

Again, Souder helps cause anther Panther turnover and Anderson scores the resulting layup to push Italy’s lead to sixteen, 43-27. The Panthers finally end their scoring drought but Sephus counters in the paint and Italy leads 45-29.

Maypearl hits another bucket but Cole Hopkins scores for the Gladiators who now lead 47-31. The Panthers claw their way back and pull within eleven-points, 47-36. An Anderson layup makes the score 49-36 but Maypearl hits again with 1:12 left in the third quarter, 49-38.

Simmons scores his second basket of the contest and Italy leads 51-38 but Maypearl hangs in and nails a jumper with 0:12 left in the third to stay close, 51-40.

Maypearl’s bench is charged with a technical early in the fourth quarter but the Gladiators are unable to cash in after missing both technical foul shots. Maypearl eventually records the quarter’s first basket but Italy’s Ryan Ashcraft puts up a shot and Anderson rebounds the miss, and scores the follow, while still in the air. Gladiators lead 53-42. Maypearl goes 1-of-2 at the foul line and Campbell scores to keep Italy rolling, 55-43.

Maypearl refuses to quit and get the Gladiator lead into single digits, 56-48. With 2:58 remaining, Clemons hits two from the foul line and Italy leads 58-48. Two quick scores by the Panthers give Maypearl’s faithful hope, 58-52. Clemons is fouled pushing the ball up court and knocks down both bonus shots to keep the pressure on the Panthers, 60-52. Mayberry is then fouled underneath and hits the second of a two-shot foul to make the score 61-52. Anderson splits a pair of free-throws and Italy leads 62-52.

Anderson splits two more charity shots with 1:19 left to play and Italy leads 63-54…but the game is not over! Maypearl scores from the field to pull within seven-points, 63-56, 0:48 remains. Campbell goes 1-of-2 from the line to give Italy a 64-56 margin. Maypearl drills a three-pointer to pull within five, 64-59, with 0:30 left.

Anderson goes 1-of-2 from the foul line to make the score 65-59. The Panthers hit their second three-pointer in less than fifteen-seconds to pull within one basket from tying the game, 65-62. The Panthers send Holden to the line who takes a couple of deep breaths and swishes both clutch free-throws to give Italy a 67-62 advantage with 18.5 seconds showing on the clock.

Maypearl is unable to get off another shot and Anderson puts in one last free-throw to keep Italy undefeated in district play at 5-0. With the 68-62 win over the Panthers, the Gladiators are now 17-5 overall.

Varsity Girls:
A pair of free-throws by Italy’s Kaitlyn Rossa, at the 4:27 mark, gives the Lady Gladiators a 2-0 lead. Point guard Jameka Copeland feeds Rossa who cuts into the lane to put Italy up 4-0 with 2:30 left in the opening quarter. Rossa and company force a Maypearl turnover. Retrieving her own miss, Rossa scores the follow, and the Lady Gladiators lead 6-0, 1:27 left.

Maypearl makes the score 6-1. Italy’s Keyonne Birdsong grabs a defensive rebound but Italy is unable to convert it into points. Maypearl adds another free-throw with :47 left in the first but Megan Richards knocks down a 3-pointer to give the Lady Gladiators a 9-2 lead with 0:23 left.

Maypearl hits a short jumper before the end of the quarter to make the score 9-4.

In the second, a pair of free-throws by the Lady Panthers makes the score 9-6. A pass from the top of the key by Shelbi Roberson catches the Lady Gladiators off guard and Maypearl scores an open look inside, 9-8. Bailey Bumpus passes to Copeland who knocks down a jumper from beyond the left elbow, 11-8, Italy leads. Rossa hits a jumper from the right wing and draws a shooting foul. Rossa hits the and-1 to give the Lady Gladiators a 14-8 advantage with 5:01 still to play in the second quarter.

An offensive rebound and put back by Maypearl makes the score 14-10 with 3:40 left in the first half. A Lady Panther jumper makes the score 14-12 at the 3:00 mark. A pair of Lady Panther free-throws ties the contest 14-14. Bumpus grabs an offensive board for Italy and scores the put back and Italy is back in front 16-14.

Maypearl answers with a three-point play the old-fashion way and takes a 17-16 lead with 1:27 remaining. Richards hits her second three-pointer to reclaim the advantage for Italy, 19-17. Maypearl battles back and goes up 20-19 but another offensive rebound by Bumpus gives Italy a one-point edge at the break, 21-20.

Maypearl scores first to start the second half but Jimesha Reed scores inside to keep Italy in front 23-22. Maypearl goes up 24-23 but Reed swishes in a jumper from the left elbow to give the Lady Gladiators back the lead, 25-24. The Lady Panthers respond to go back on top 26-25. Lady Gladiator head coach Stacy McDonald calls a timeout with 5:52 left in the third quarter.

Copeland drives along the right baseline and scores to put Italy up by one, 27-26. Maypearl answers right back and goes up 28-27 with 4:25 remaining. Italy misses a pair of free-throws but Maypearl scores to go up 30-27. A jumper by Rossa keeps Italy close, 30-29. However, Maypearl scores again and leads 32-29. Richards hits her third three-pointer of the game to tie the contest, 32-32. With 1:12 left in the third, Maypearl scores inside to go up 34-32.

Rossa snags an offensive rebound and scores the follow to tie the game, again, 34-34 with 0:50 to play. Maypearl scores quick against Italy’s press and leads 36-34. Maypearl gets a much needed stop on the defensive end and eventually earn a trip to the foul line. Two free-throws give the Lady Panthers a four-point edge, 38-34, with 0:25 remaining.

A layup by Italy’s Chante Birdsong makes the game 38-36. Maypearl adds a free-throw to lead 39-36 heading into the final quarter.

Maypearl strikes first in the fourth and leads 41-36. Richards passes into Reed who scores easily, 41-38. Maypearl leads 43-38 when Richards feeds Reed again to make the score 43-40. Copeland squeezes a pass between several Lady Panther legs to Reed who scores to make the game 43-42. Richards steals the ball from the Lady Panthers but Italy comes away empty. Richards records a block and Coach McDonald calls a timeout.

Copeland and Bumpus force a Maypearl turnover, but again, Italy comes away with no points. Maypearl goes up 45-42 but Reed is relentless on the offensive boards and makes the score 45-44. With 0:10 left in the game, Maypearl inbounds under Italy’s basket and draws a foul. Maypearl hits 1-of-2 to lead 46-44.

With 0:03 remaining, Richards makes a inbound lobs towards Italy’s basket and the Lady Gladiators get a good look at a tying basket. Unfortunately, the shot attempt doesn’t fall and Maypearl’s Lady panthers hang on for the 46-44 win over the Lady Gladiators.

JV Boys: 43-39 I
Maypearl jumps out to 6-0 lead but an assist from Italy’s point guard Eric Carson to T.J Cockran cuts the deficit in half after Cockran knocks down a three-pointer, 6-3. The Panthers put in three free-throws before the first-quarter ends and Maypearl leads 9-3 after one.

The Panthers are up 13-3 when Carson goes 1-of-2 from the line to make the score 13-4. Maypearl scores again but a pair of free-throws by Darol Mayberry and another assist from Carson to Cockran makes the score 15-8. With 1:00 left in the half, Italy’s Raheem Walker takes the ball strong to the hole and pulls the JV Gladiators within five, 15-10.

Italy comes up empty at the line while Maypearl drives and scores with 0:02 left. Maypearl misses the and-1 but the Panthers still lead 19-10 at the break.

A Cockran three-pointer helps to pull Italy within five, yet again, 19-15. Cockran is then fouled shooting after collecting an offensive rebound and puts in 1-of-2 foul shots to make the score 19-16. Maypearl extends their lead 21-16 but a Mayberry three-pointer puts pressure on the Panthers, 21-19, with 5:00 left in the third.

Maypearl goes up 23-19 but Carson skillfully drives into the paint and makes the score 23-21. Deiondre Cockran pulls up at the right elbow and swishes the jumper to tie the game, 23-23, at the 3:15 mark. Caden Jacinto cuts underneath the basket, receives the pass and gets the lead changing basket. Italy’s JV has its first lead of the game 25-23.

Jalarnce Jamal Lewis steals the ball resulting in another T.J. Cockran jumper, this time from near the top of the lane, and the JV Gladiators, 27-23, 1:40 still to play in the third. Maypearl pulls within one-point of Italy, 27-26. Italy misses its next shot attempt and Maypearl heaves a hot shot from halfcourt that banks in. The resulting 3-pointer gives Maypearl a 29-27 lead going into the final quarter.

Walker and Carson score early in the fourth but Maypearl manages to tie things up at thirty-one apiece. Maypearl leads 33-31 but a T.J. Cockran offensive rebound and put back ties the contest, 33-33, with 2:47 left in the third. Two made free-throws keep Maypearl ahead, 35-33.

From the biggest little town in Texas, the biggest little post player in Lewis, scores inside to tie the game once more for Italy, 35-35. Free-throws keep Maypearl on top 37-35. Carson is fouled tracking a loose ball and hits 1-of-2 from the line to pull the JV Gladiators by one, 37-36. After a Maypearl timeout, Caden Jacinto forces the Panthers to travel and then hits a three-point dagger to thrust Italy back in front, 39-37.

Maypearl manages to tie the game 39-39 but a bucket down low by Walker, who hits the and-1, gives Italy a 42-39 advantage late. Maypearl misses a three-point attempt and Italy misses two from the foul line. Maypearl calls a timeout with 5.9 remaining in the game.

Carson steals the inbound pass and is pushed from behind during his layup attempt. An intentional foul is not called but Carson hits the front end of the two-shot foul to give the JV Gladiators a four-point lead, 43-39. Maypearl launches a 3-pointer that lands short and Italy overcomes an 11-point deficit, in the first half, to win 43-39.

JV Girls:
Italy’s JV Girls played in a separate gym against Maypearl’s JV girls who won 35-20.