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LOACHAPOKA—What once was a double-digit second-half lead dissipated in the fourth quarter as the Lanett girls basketball team fell 33-31 on the road at Loachapoka.

The Panthers fell to 0-1 in their area.

“We lost our poise at the end,” Lanett head coach Charlie Williams said. “You have to have poise when you go on the road. You have to make free throws and you have to make layups. We didn’t do it.”

The Panthers led by seven at the end of the third quarter, but they struggled to find any offensive consistency for most of the final eight minutes. They managed only two points in the quarter until the 2:04 mark, where Brenna Glaze was able to break the cold streak with a layup.

The Panthers had chances to take the lead in the final minute but missed free throws and layups were their downfall.

“You can’t make excuses. We were getting fouled, and we didn’t make layups and free throws,” Williams said.

Lanett finished just 9-of-20 from the free-throw line.

The Panthers struggled in the opening quarter, finishing with just four points on a free throw and a 3-pointer. They were able to get to the free-throw line in the second quarter, hitting five of the eight attempts. The third was the best quarter offensively for Lanett, as it scored 12 points.

Lanett built its lead by making the easy shots, but that did not continue in the final eight minutes of the game. It finished just 2-for-7 from the free-throw line in the fourth quarter. With less than 45 seconds left in the game, the Panthers were able to force three turnovers and get an open shot at the rim, but they failed to convert every attempt.

Defensively, Lanett was able to force turnovers for most of the game. Its full-court pressure caused problems for the Indian ball handlers, as the Panthers were able to deflect passes and get fast-break opportunities.

Loachapoka managed only 11 points in the opening half scoring five and six points respectively. They had 20 points at the end of the third quarter.

Four Panthers finished with a point with Glaze leading the team with 13 points. Ariel Hall and Alyse Madden each contributed seven, while Jayla Higgins added six.

The Panthers are back in action on Thursday when they travel to area foe Wadley.