By Jon Johnson
THATCHER – The Thatcher Eagles kicked off the new year with a dominant performance on their home court Monday night, cruising to a 73-49 victory over the visiting Amphi Panthers in a matchup that quickly turned into a showcase for Thatcher’s depth and defensive prowess.
Standout Isaac Palmer led all scorers with a game-high 23 points, asserting his presence early and often in a variety of ways – from rebound putbacks and backdoor cuts to isolation buckets and thunderous fast-break finishes. Palmer’s all-around effort set the tone as the Eagles built a double-digit lead by halftime and never looked back.
The game started with a bang for Thatcher. Senior Bronson Stringfellow opened the scoring with a drive to the basket, then immediately followed it up with a steal and coast-to-coast layup to give the Eagles a quick 4-0 lead. Amphi responded with a jumper from Babo Hussein, who paced the Panthers with 18 points, and a layup by Fernando Martinez.
Midway through the first, Palmer took over. He converted a rebound putback, finished a slick backdoor cut off a Stringfellow assist, and even grabbed his own teammate’s missed free throw for an and-1 putback. Freshman JayLeon Way added a three-pointer, but Amphi’s Nick Valencia proved tough in the paint, repeatedly winning battles down low en route to 16 points on the night. The Panthers closed the gap late in the quarter on a Valencia rebound putback, but Thatcher held a 22-14 advantage after one.
The second quarter saw Chad Johnson emerge as Thatcher’s “Mr. Versatility,” scoring six of his 12 points with drives and transition buckets while also making his presence felt on the boards. Defensively, Palmer rejected a Valencia shot attempt, sending a clear message in the paint.
Hussein kept Amphi in striking distance with a runner and a pair of threes – one shared with teammate Merhawi Gebre – but Palmer answered with an isolation score and a steal-to-layup sequence. Thatcher then pulled away with contributions across the board: Wade Hull assisted Brant Duncan for a layup, Way poked away a steal leading to his own fast-break finish, and the Eagles carried a comfortable 40-27 lead into the locker room.
The third quarter featured more back-and-forth action. Palmer opened with a baseline drive, and Dylan Riney converted an and-1 on a quick transition play. Amphi refused to fold, as David Gonzalez scored off a steal, Hussein drained another three, and Valencia’s putback trimmed the deficit to seven points.
Thatcher had answers every time, turning to Palmer for post-footwork buckets and leaning on its supporting cast. Way dished to Hull for a score, Hull knocked down a three, and Way found Johnson inside. The Eagles outscored the Panthers down the stretch to take a 59-45 lead into the final period.
The fourth quarter was all Thatcher, as the Eagles’ defense clamped down, holding Amphi to just two field goals – a Valencia post score and a Gonzalez transition layup. Palmer kicked off the surge with an assist to Stringfellow, then stole the ball and hit Johnson ahead for an easy bucket. Riney blocked a shot in the paint and later scored off a Hull assist.
With the lead ballooning to 22, reserves got in on the fun: Jay Carter hit a short jumper and found Hudson Loperman on the break, while Brigham Palmer battled through contact for a layup to cap the scoring.
Stringfellow finished with 9 points, Way added 12 in an impressive display, Hull contributed 5, Riney had 4, and the bench provided valuable minutes with Duncan, Loperman, Brigham Palmer, and Carter each chipping in 2 points.
For Amphi, Hussein and Valencia carried the load offensively, scoring 18 and 16 points respectively, with Imanol Silva and Gonzalez adding 4 points apiece, Gebre 3, and Isai Poqui-Manuel and Martinez 2 each.
Thatcher (4-1 conference, 12-5 overall) will next host the Douglas Bulldogs on Thursday, Jan. 8, starting at 7 p.m.
