The Varnum Whippets hosted the Pittsburg Panthers for their basketball game before the holiday break Thursday night.

The Whippets and Lady Whippets protected their home court and won both games.

The #5 Lady Whippets started the evening off and found a very worthy opponent in the #2 Lady Panthers. Varnum’s Ashlyn White-Richards knocked down a three-point shot, and Makiyah Coker scored 6 points to help the Lady Whippets go on a 15-11 run in the first.

Varnum stuck with their offensive game plan and kept their lead throughout the first half. Pittsburg started to feel more comfortable and started making their shots, but the Lady Whippets still had the edge heading into the break.

The Lady Panthers were down by 6 points at the top of the third. Pittsburg put on an aerial display of three-point shooting in the quarter with four three-point shots made to go on a 14-9 run. Pittsburg had closed the gap to a one-point difference heading into the final quarter.

In the final frame, the lead would change several times as both teams never gave up. With approximately one minute and thirty seconds left in the game, the Lady Whippets had a two-point lead. The Lady Panthers tied the game up 51-51 with 1:10 left in the game.

With less than a minute left in the game, the Lady Whippets regained the lead with foul trouble on the Lady Panthers side. Varnum’s Makiyah Coker sealed the win for Varnum with shots made at the free throw line. The Varnum Whippets beat the number 2 Lady Panthers and are now 9-2 on the season.

Leading the way for the Lady Whippets was Makiyah Coker with 12 points and was 4-7 from the free throw line.

Alyviah Lena and Kalea Miller each scored 10 points in the game.

Before the boys’ game against the Pittsburg Panthers, Head Coach Jon Hadley and team honored teammate Jon Madkins for reaching 1,000 points in his high school basketball career. Jon Madkins hit his mark during the championship game at the LRC Tournament at the beginning of the month. Madkins is also closing in on his 1,000th rebound in his career. Madkins entered Thursday night’s game with just 150 rebounds to go.

The Varnum Whippets started out hot with Cooper Smith knocking down a trey to fire up the home crowd. The Panthers fought back and kept it close in the first.

Varnum had a twopoint lead heading into the second quarter. The defense of the Whippets stepped up their game and kept the Panthers to only 5 points scored. Varnum’s Daison Hadley scored 7 points in the frame.

Varnum had a sizable lead coming out of the break. The Panthers had a 10-point deficit to get out of but found no room for improvement. Varnum stepped on the gas in the quarter with Hadley scoring 8 points and Jon Madkins scoring 10 points.

Varnum had put the game just a little out of reach for the Panthers heading into the final quarter with a twenty-point lead. The Whippets eased off the gas and the Panthers took advantage and scored 13 points in the frame but still could not catch the Whippets before the end of regulation.

The number 5 Varnum Whippets won 57-40 over Pittsburg.

Leading the way for the Whippets was Daison Hadley with 21 points, two treys and was 7 of 8 from the free throw line.

Jon Madkins had 16 points and was 2 of 4 from the line.

Next up for the Whippets is the Mulhall-Orlando Basketball Tournament on the 8th through the 10th of January.

The next home game is on the 13th against Macomb. The game is set to start at 6:30 p.m.

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