Panthers team up to claw way to top

Saturday 12th February 2011, 2:29PM GMT.

Panthers’ Lee Ogier tries to make life difficult for Paul Wilkes. (Picture by Steve Sarre, 1092169)

A SECOND quarter surge allowed Panthers to take top spot in Division One as they comfortably defeated Abarth 80-61 at Beau Sejour.

After a tight opening quarter, Panthers led by the slenderest of margins, 21-19, but that all changed in the next period of play.

A 17-point margin allowed the lead to be extended to 48-29, an advantage that never looked like being thrown away, although that was the only one-sided quarter of the game.

Abarth threatened a revival of sorts as they came out on top in the next 10 minutes, but Panthers edged out the final period to secure the victory, which puts them two points clear, albeit having played two games more.