Notes, observations and other thoughts about basketball played at 38th and Central...
Morton College's big-game hunters, better known as the men's basketball team, notched another mark on its belt of ranked teams taken out when the Panthers defeated No. 24 Bryant & Stratton 73-66 December 16th at home.

It was the third NJCAA Division II top 25 team the Panthers (8-4) have beat on their home floor this season. MC's other victories against ranked teams include wins over No. 8 Milwaukee Area Tech and No. 10 South Suburban.

"The guys are resilient," Morton College men's basketball coach Jon Rush said. "We challenge them on a daily basis and every day they are back fired up."

First time since 2019
Morton College's win over Bryant & Stratton was the first over the Bobcats since March 9, 2019, when the Panthers secured the program's last Region 4 title with a 75-67 victory at Waubonsee. Matter of fact, Morton beat Bryant & Stratton twice that season.

After that, Morton College then lost its next seven meetings against the Bobcats. 

Call of duty
Rush is confident that any one of a dozen Panthers can impact a game. That certainly was the case in the win over Bryant & Stratton where impactful contributions big and small came from a number of players.

Zion Young capped a 10-0 run with three quick baskets that gave the Panthers a 64-55 lead late in the contest. The freshman matched a career high of 19 points.

Danny Thompson (12 points, 12 rebounds) gave the Panthers the lead for good on a driving layup, followed by a steal and layup from Jordan Brooks (12 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists). 

It was Thompson's first career double-double as a Panther.

Other notable but important contributions came from:
Amir Speights – 4 for 4 from free-throw line in final minute.
Jyson Kim and Simon Tesfit – both came up with key three-pointers in the first half.
Stanislav Toderasco – coast-to-coast steal and layup midway through the second half.
Javerion Banks – 4 points, 6 rebounds.

"We have 12 or 13 guys who impact what we do," Rush noted. "We keep them motivated so they're ready when their number is called."

Junior big again
Kevin Cathey Jr. was one of three Panthers to log 32-plus minutes. The sophomore turned in another stat-stuffer showing with 8 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists. He was 3 of 3 from the floor and 2 of 3 from the line.

Panthers fit in at block party
Bryant & Stratton's height presented some interesting challenges as 6-8 Karter Seawright blocked 8 shots and 7-4 Chandler Batchelor may have altered a shot or two during his 15 minutes on the floor. But the Panthers weren't fazed, shooting 48 percent (29 of 61) as a team from the field.

End-to-end action
The first half featured an astonishing 5 minutes and 17 seconds of non-stop play from 18:24 to 13:07. It ended when Bobcats made one of their 6 turnovers.

In a good place
Morton College can match its most wins to start the first half of the season with 9, last done in the 2015-16 campaign if the Panthers can defeat Blackhawk Tech at 3 p.m. Saturday, December 20th. The 2015-16 Panthers were 9-6.

Taking their lumps
The Panthers are riding a season-best four-game win streak into the Blackhawk Tech contest. They've also won 7 of their last 8.

Morton College got off to a rocky start with an 0-3 showing at Mesa's Thunderbird Classic in Arizona. The Panthers also lost at Missouri West Plains.

"The trips to Arizona and Missouri," said Rush following the Bryant & Stratton win, "all this helped us prepare for games like today."

Women's basketball
Visiting Wisconsin Lutheran got stuck in the evening parking lot along I-294 on its way from Milwaukee to Cicero. The contest started 30 minutes late, but the Warriors came out a 70-35 winner December 17th.

Three Panthers – Niema Adams, Catrina Sanders and Charity Love – shared team-high scoring honors with 8 points apiece. Sanders also had 9 rebounds and 5 assists.

Morton College displayed a nice burst of firepower by scoring 10 points in the first 3 minutes of the second half.

While Wisconsin Lutheran assistant Brook Smith ran the show, Warrior head coach Klay Knueppel was present to support the varsity reserve squad. Klay's the uncle of Kon Knueppel, who plays for the Charlotte Hornets in the NBA.

The Panthers conclude the 2025 part of their schedule with a home contest against another opponent from the Badger State in Blackhawk Tech at 1 p.m. Saturday, December 20th.