The Panther boys’ undefeated streak continued last Thursday in Rugby.

The Panthers (who were ranked second as of Monday’s Class B basketball poll) notched their ninth win in a season-high 94-40 victory over the North Star Bearcats.

The Panthers took the lead practically from the tip-off, with an easy bucket from forward Trace Goven. Goven would get three more buckets as the quarter progressed, and starting guards Devan Michels and Kevin Vetsch would combine for 10 points (with both of them adding a three-pointer apiece), allowing the Panthers to get a 20-8 advantage by the end of the quarter.

The ensuing quarter wouldn’t turn out much better for the Bearcats, as the Panthers would get a 34-9 advantage. The Panthers were up six (due to threes from Michels and forward Jaden Hamilton) before the Bearcats got on the board with a bucket from starting center Ian Knutson. Starting guard Keaton Kvilvang would rack up his second three-pointer of the night, while Knutson would get two more buckets to his name.

Hamilton, meanwhile, would have a big second quarter with 13 points, followed by Goven with 7 and Michels with 5.

The Panther defense would hold the Bearcats to just eight points in the third quarter, with three of them in the final seconds coming from forward Ben Wagenman.

The Panther offense would net 20 on the quarter, with 12 of them from coming from outside the arc.

In the fourth quarter the Panthers’ deep bench netted a 20-15 advantage, with nine coming from Isaiah Bundy-Smith and eight combined coming from Cody Jundt and Dawson Schepp.

Knutson would tie Kvilvang for the Bearcats’ leading scorer with 11 on the night.

Free throw shooting would be another factor in the game. In the first half the Panthers were 10-for-11 from the charity stripe while the Bearcats were 3-for-6. In the second half the Panthers were 5-for-6 while the Bearcats were 3-for-7.

Both the Panther boys and the no. 6-ranked girls are playing in Carrington today. The girls will play at 3:30 p.m., and the boys will play at 5 p.m.

– Tribune Staff Report