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Pelham’s Josh Lacey had a game-high 29 points to lead the Panthers to a dominant win against Leeds on Tuesday, Nov. 19. (For the Reporter/Larry Dancy)

By ALEC ETHEREDGE | Sports Editor

LEEDS – A fast start offensively and a dominant night from Josh Lacey led the Pelham Panthers to a 2-0 start behind a dominant 65-35 road win against the Leeds Greenwave on Tuesday, Nov. 19.

Lacey ended his night with 29 points and scored no less than five points in every quarter of the game to lead the Panthers to the win, while several others also stepped up.

 “Early in the season, there is a lot of work to do,” head coach Joel Floyd said after the game. “We have a lot of young guys and we are learning together, so every day we’re hoping to get better.”

In the opening period, the young group looked like an experienced squad behind their best offensive quarter of the night and an equally good start on the defensive end of the floor.

Offensively, Blake Floyd was unconscious from beyond the arc in the opening frame knocking down three 3-pointers to post nine points, while Lacey started his night with five points.

Those two played a key part in a 21-point first quarter for Pelham, who also got points from Jordan Hollway, Xavier Lankford and Alex Deaver.

Defensively, the Panthers gave up just three field goals and nine points to take a commanding 21-9 advantage into the second quarter.

But in the second period, Pelham’s defense started to struggle a bit. The Panthers still posted 15 points offensively behind eight points from Lacey, but the defense gave up 14 in the quarter, which kept them from really busting the game open at the half.

Instead, the Greenwave were able to stay within striking distance down 36-23 heading into the break.

The Panthers, however, still held a strong 13-point lead and made the necessary adjustments on the defensive end heading into the second half.

Leeds was held to just six points in both the third and fourth quarters only making four total field goals between the two.

“I’m proud of the second half effort that we had defensively,” Floyd said. “We made the necessary adjustments and early in the season.”

And that’s exactly what Pelham needed with the consistency the offense continued to provide in the half.

In the third quarter, Floyd added the final four of his 13 points, while Lacey posted six more points and Austin Hill hit three of four three throws.

Having scored 15 in the period, the Panthers went to the final quarter with a 51-29 lead.

Looking to put the game away, Lacey saved his best quarter for last pouring in five field goals in the fourth to post 10 of Pelham’s 14 points in the period and close out a dominant 30-point win.

Eight total players scored in the game for the Panthers led by Lacey’s 29 and Floyd’s 13.

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