Midland, TX – Just as the Panthers had ended 2020, they started New Year’s Day of 2021 picking up another district win. Permian dished out a 67-30 lashing of Midland High in the MHS gym to improve to 2-0 in district and 10-3 for the season.
Shy Stephens-Deary and the Mojo Machine put on a clinic in the second half, racking up 39 team points after leading 28-19 at halftime. Stephens-Deary accounted for 30 of the points in the winning effort, while the Panthers utilized their trademark stingy defense to force over 30 Bulldog turnovers.
The visiting Black Cats came out in dominant fashion, racking up the first seven points of the game en route to a 22-7 first quarter lead. Stephens-Deary was responsible for 11 of those points, and Tremayne Baty backed him up with seven of his own.
In the second frame, Permian added another six points before the shots just wouldn’t fall. Midland High took advantage of the temporary Mojo drought and posted 12 consecutive points to cut the deficit to nine by the intermission.
The Mojo Machine made the best of the break to reset and come out firing on all cylinders in the second half. Stephens-Deary again led the attack in the third stanza. He logged eight of Permian’s 13 points in the quarter. Race Herr did the honors in the final eight minutes, scoring seven. The Panthers took turns making buckets to the tune of 26 points down the stretch, with seven different shooters each recording a basket.
On the other end of the court, the Mojo defense continued to reign supreme as well. Midland High was held to four baskets and three free throws the last two quarters. The Bulldogs were limited to six points in the third period, and five in the fourth in the 67-30 Permian victory.
The Panthers will be back in the Permian Fieldhouse next Tuesday as they play host to San Angelo Central. The Bobcats are also currently undefeated in district play and sport a 11-3 season record. Tip-off is slated for 6:00 p.m.
| BY QUARTER | |||||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F | |
| Permian | 22 | 06 | 13 | 26 | 67 |
| Midland |
07 | 12 | 06 | 05 | 30 |
Fouls: Permian – 12 | Midland High – 17
FTs: Per – 6 of 15 (40%) | Mid – 4 of 12 (33%)
INDIVIDUAL SCORING
Key: Player Name / Goals / FT Made – Attempt / Total Points
Permian
S Stephens-Deary 12 2-4 30, R Herr 5 3-8 14, T Baty 4 0-1 9, C McCoy 2 0-0 5, C Baty 1 0-0 2, D McGee 1 0-0 2, C Davis 1 0-0 2, K Moreno 1 0-0 2, R Hall 0 1-2 1
Midland
J Robinson 6 0-4 12, N Smith 3 0-0 6, J Puentes 1 0-0 3, J Phillips 1 0-0 3, J Bracken 0 2-4 2, O White 1 0-1 2, B Pelletier 0 2-2 2
3-Pts:
Permian – 7 (Stephens-Deary 4, C McCoy 1, R Herr 1, T Baty 1)
Midland – 2 (J Phillips 1, J Puentes 1)