Ferrum College’s Men’s Basketball team split two Conference Carolinas games last week, posting a solid home win over Francis Marion before suffering a late setback on the road.
On Feb. 18 at Swartz Gymnasium, the Panthers held off Francis Marion for a 72-66 victory, led by a balanced offensive effort. Ferrum improved to 15-9 overall and 13-4 in conference play as the Panthers built an early advantage and withstood a second-half rally by the Patriots.
Ferrum jumped out to a double-digit lead in the first half and maintained control for much of the game. The Panthers were led by senior guard Gerren Jones, who scored a team-high 18 points and added five rebounds, and forward Alfredo Abel-Rivera, who finished with 15 points and six boards. Rodrigo Farias contributed 12 points and four assists, while Abdulh Diaby chipped in 11 points and seven rebounds in the balanced attack.
Francis Marion trimmed the deficit in the second half behind strong play from Jamal Carter, who scored 20 points, but Ferrum responded with timely baskets and free throws down the stretch to secure the home victory. The win kept the Panthers in a tight race atop the Conference Carolinas standings with just a few games remaining in the regular season.
Three days later, Ferrum’s road trip to Young Harris, Ga., on Feb. 21 ended in a heartbreaking 82-81 loss to Young Harris College.
Ferrum jumped out to an early advantage and led for much of the contest behind strong scoring from Jones and Abel-Rivera, but Young Harris rallied late in the second half. The Mountain Lions closed the gap with a series of clutch free throws and key defensive plays in the final minutes, ultimately taking the lead and holding on as time expired. With the setback, the Panthers dropped to 15-10 overall and 13-6 in conference play.
Jones paced Ferrum with 29 points, including 9-of-11 shooting at the free-throw line, and Abel-Rivera scored 21 with seven rebounds. Despite the loss, Ferrum’s effort remained competitive throughout the game.
The home crowd at Francis Marion witnessed a gritty performance from the Panthers, while the Young Harris thriller featured dramatic swings and late heroics from both teams. Ferrum now looks ahead to its next matchup back home against Mount Olive on Wednesday at 7 p.m.
