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By ANDREW SIMONSON | Sports Editor

CALERA – The Calera Eagles gave the Pelham Panthers everything they could handle, but in the end, Pelham secured the 61-58 win on Friday, Nov. 22 on the road at Calera High School.

The Eagles came in with a head full of momentum thanks to three wins in four days, the latest coming from a razor-tight 68-67 win over the Stanhope Elmore Mustangs at home on Thursday, Nov. 21.

Calera got the better of Pelham in the first quarter as Devyn Goodman and Carlos Wisenhunt each scored a pair of field goals as part of a 14-point opening period for the Eagles.

Jayden Robinson and Egypt Daniel did their best to keep it within two possessions going into the second quarter as Calera led 14-10 at the end of the first.

However, the Panthers offense reached a new level in the second quarter, outscoring the Eagles 22-8 in the remaining minutes before halftime.

Seven different Pelham players found the bottom of the net in the second quarter as Robinson got on the cusp of double figures and Marcus Arnold scores his first five points of the game.

Their contributions on both ends of the court helped the Panthers take a 32-22 lead into the halftime break.

Pelham’s offensive pace slowed in the third quarter, allowing Calera to regain some ground during that stretch.

Goodman and Jamarcus Adams each hit 3-pointers to help the Eagles outscore the Panthers 11-8 in the third quarter, cutting the deficit to 40-33 heading into the fourth and final quarter of play.

Both offenses put their foot on the gas in the fourth quarter, trading blows from the field and forcing trips to the line with Calera remaining in striking distance.

After being held scoreless since the first quarter, Wisenhunt scored 13 points in the fourth, including a trio of 3-pointers, to lead the way for the offense. Goodman and Kegan Johnson each chipped in six points to give the Eagles 21 points in the fourth.

However, Pelham matched that 21-point output in the final eight minutes, relying on eight more points from Arnold and four from Daniel to put away the game.

In the end, the Panthers took the three-point victory over the Eagles to head into Thanksgiving tournament week with a win.

Arnold led Pelham with 15 points and Robinson joined him in double figures with 11 points. Eli Lewis and Daniel each scored eight points, Sam Tolbert had five points and Grayson Childers added on four points.

As for Calera, Wisenhunt scored a team-high 17 points. Goodman and Johnson each got into double figures with 15 points from Goodman and 10 from Johnson. Adams had five points and Israel Robinson scored four points.