IOWA FALLS, IOWA -- Right in the middle of a four-game homestand, the Ellsworth Panthers won a pair of games at Dittmer Gymnasium over the weekend, taking down the William Penn JV, 91-78, Friday evening and following that victory with a 76-55 verdict against the Waldorf JV Sunday afternoon.
Tom Stanley led the ECC scoring in the first contest with a season-high 24 points. Junior Bodden added 21, a career-high, and Ra'mir Scott chipped in 13. Richie Warren scored only 6 points after being in double-figures in each of ECC's first 4 games, but the freshman showed off other facets of his game, corraling 22 rebounds, 18 on the defensive glass, and handing out 8 assists. Freshman Khedric Oliver came off the bench to score 13 points for the Panthers. Ellsworth was on top 44-33 at the halftime break, then erupted for 47 second-half points. The Panthers shot 53 percent from the field, making 36-of-68 attempts, and hit 10 3s, including three apiece by Stanley and Scott.
Warren was back as the leading scorer in the Sunday tilt with the Waldorf JV with 12 points to go along with 8 rebounds, 6 assists and a couple of blocked shots. Pietro Vannini reached double-figures with 11 points and had a team-best 4 assists, and Chase Smith supplied 10 points in a reserve role. The Panthers took a 36-22 lead at the half and were never in trouble after that. They had 22 assists on 29 made baskets and committed a season-low 9 turnovers in winning for the 5th time in 6 games. Coach Troy Muilenburg used 14 players and 12 of them scored.
The Panthers will try to build on their early-season success when they host the Loras College JV Tuesday night.
