EWEN - The Ewen-Trout Creek Panthers showed immediately their slump was ending at one game, scoring 23 points in the first quarter of a 73-59 Porcupine Mountain Conference home win over Watersmeet.
Dillon Gordon hit seven three-pointers in the first half as the Panthers put together 43 points, though Watersmeet's duo of Ryan and Marcus Bain kept the Nimrods within competitive distance despite Gordon's finishing with a game-high 38.
Ryan hit five threes for a team-high 22 points, while Marcus recorded a hard 18 points and kept the Panther defense honest by driving the lane repeatedly.
Keith Kauss was also one of three E-TC players to score in double figures with 12 points and came within a rebound of a double-double.
Mike Borseth added 11 points, while Lane Brown collected 13 rebounds.
E-TC (15-3, 3-1 PMC) is at Wakefield-Marenisco Tuesday. Watersmeet (6-10, 0-5) plays at Baraga Friday night.
Watersmeet11 22 9 17 - 59
Ewen-TC23 20 14 16 - 73
Watersmeet - Mike McGrath 6, Ryan Bain 22, Marcus Bain 18, Kevin Ivey 7, Kevin Stevens 2, Sam Lillie 4. FTs: 9-18. Fouls: 11. Fouled out: None. 3-pointers: R. Bain 5, Ivey 1.
Ewen-Trout Creek - Logan Maki 3, Mike Borseth 11, Cole Besonen 6, Nick Hearns 1, Dillon Gordon 38, Keith Kauss 12, Andrew Schaad 2. FTs: 6-12. Fouls: 16. Fouled out: None. 3-pointers: Gordon 7, Borseth 1, Maki 1.