Panthers Strong Effort Fails to Tame Mustangs

by noelrr
01/07/2012

The Penrith Panthers have slumped to their tenth consecutive loss in the 2012 Waratah Championship League (WCL) competition, falling 93-80 to the Maitland Mustangs on Sunday afternoon at the Penrith Valley Regional Sports Centre (PVRSC) Cambridge Park. Whilst the Panthers were not expected to defeat the fourth-placed Mustangs on Sunday, the home team put in a credible performance (after a slow start) but wilted in the fourth quarter. The two American imports dominated the opening two quarters, with Mitchell Rueter (Mustangs) leading the Mustangs out to a 27-19 lead in the first term, then Ben Ellsworth (Panthers) bringing the Panthers right back into the contest, trailing 38-36 at the half time break. Both imports continued to lead the way during a hard-fought third quarter but the Panthers kept track throughout, with shooting guard Sean Albert also moving into double figures (12 points), along with Ellsworth (19) and Rueter (23). The fourth quarter was dominated by the Mustangs, with four members of their squad joining Rueter in double figures sa the visitors surged away to a 13-point win. Panthers head coach Jeff Cooper said "We got thumped". "Every week is the same - we're in it for a long way but don't play out the full forty minutes". "We put up twenty more shots than Maitland but didn't convert those shots - and it's a similar story each week". Life does not get easier for the Panthers, who now face a horror double-header weekend, beginning on Saturday night in Alexandria against the third-placed Sydney City Comets, then returning home to the PVRSC to host the seventh-placed Bankstown Bruins at 1pm on Sunday. Coach Cooper said "We have a tough weekend and we have to be prepared". "Steve (Gavrilovic) is due to leave on holidays for one month and I'm not sure if he'll miss this weekend" said Cooper. "Either way, others players just have to step up". Maitland Mustangs 93 (Mitchell Rueter 32 points; Luke Boyle 17 points; Kieran Gleeson 12 points; Joel Boyle 11 points; Megail Cannon 9 points, 11 boards) def Penrith Panthers 80 (Ben Ellsworth 26 points, 9 boards, 3 assists, 3 blocked shots; Robert Crane 13 points; Sean Albert 12; Louis Brandt 10) PHOTO: Rob Crane led the early scoring against the Mustangs and finished in double figures - photo by Noel Rowsell

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