Chanute, Ks – Neosho County Women’s Basketball fell 73-64 to Allen County Wednesday night in Chanute, dropping to 17-9 overall and 7-2 in KJCCC play.
The Panthers battled all night but were forced to play from behind after a tough first quarter, in which Allen jumped out to a 20-8 lead. Neosho struggled to find an early rhythm offensively, shooting just 1-of-16 from the field in the opening frame.
Despite the slow start, the Panthers never quit.
Ta’Neah Jones led Neosho, finishing with 12 points and 7 rebounds while shooting 6-of-7 from the field.
Chloe Parker and Janae Davis each added 8 points, with Davis knocking down a pair of three-pointers to help spark the Panthers offensively.
Lelani Carter chipped in 7 points, connecting on two shots from beyond the arc.
Bauke Graulus provided a presence at the free-throw line, finishing with 10 points, while Kaozong Yang added 5 and Sophia Mireles hit a three-pointer during a fourth-quarter push.
Neosho showed its fight in the final period, outscoring Allen 22-9 in the fourth quarter.
The Panthers shot 43.8% from the field in the closing frame and hit four three-pointers in the final ten minutes as they worked to chip away at the deficit.
Jessica Houston added a late basket and converted at the free-throw line during the comeback effort.
As a team, the Panthers knocked down eight three-pointers and finished 16-of-25 from the free-throw line but the early deficit proved too much to overcome.
Neosho will look to regroup quickly as they hit the road Saturday, February 21st, traveling to Overland Park to take on Johnson County. Tip-off is set for 2:00 p.m.
