Wildcats fall to Panthers

The Wildcats’ district matchup with Pflugerville slipped away from them in the final minutes, falling 55-48 Friday, Jan. 30.

Elgin held a 45-44 lead with three minutes remaining before the Panthers closed the game on an 11-3 run. Senior guard Tyson McFarlin led the Wildcats with 18 points, scoring in every quarter and keeping Elgin within striking distance throughout the night.

The game opened as a defensive battle, with neither team scoring in the first two minutes. Pflugerville finally broke the drought with a layup before McFarlin responded with a 3-pointer to give Elgin an early lead.

That basket sparked momentum for the Wildcats, as McFarlin went on to score 10 points in the first quarter. Elgin carried a 13-9 advantage into the second.

Senior shooting guard Curtis Harris opened the next quarter with a 3-pointer to extend the lead to 16-9. Harris finished the game with 12 points, second on the team behind McFarlin.

McFarlin followed with another shot from beyond the arc but Pflugerville answered with an unmatched seven points to secure a lead of one. Both teams traded baskets for the remainder of the half, with neither side able to create separation.

Elgin regained a narrow lead late and went into halftime up 26-25.

The Wildcats came out of the break with renewed energy. Senior Jayveon Nash knocked down a 3-pointer and McFarlin added a layup to push Elgin’s lead to 3327.

Once again, however, the Panthers responded. Pflugerville chipped away at the deficit and tied the game at 38 heading into the final quarter.

Elgin’s last lead came on another McFarlin 3-pointer. From there, Pflugerville took control, scoring 11 of the game’s final 14 points to close out the win.

The Wildcats struggled with the Panthers’ size advantage, as Pflugerville won the rebounding battle and converted multiple second-chance opportunities. Turnovers also proved costly for Elgin, leading to several fast-break points for the Panthers.

With the loss, Elgin moved to 2-6 in district play. The Wildcats earned one of those district wins with a 54-53 victory over Georgetown Jan. 27.

Elgin next faced Pflugerville Connally after press time Tuesday, and will host East View on Friday, Feb. 6, with tipoff scheduled for 7 p.m.