Mar 22, 2025
The Panama Panthers pose with their state championship plaque after beating Bridgehampton in the NYSPHSAA Class D final Saturday evening at Visions Veterans Memorial Arena in Binghamton. P-J photo by Matt Spielman
Senior Carter Brink had 38 points, 10 rebounds and five assists to lead the Panama Panthers to the first boys basketball title in program history with a 78-69 victory over Bridgehampton in the Class D final Saturday evening at Visions Veterans Memorial Arena.
In the final game of his final season, Ed Nelson coached the Panthers to their most rewarding win.
It wasn’t easy – despite Panama leading by as many as 27 points late in the third quarter.
The gap was still 22 to start the fourth quarter.
But Bridgehampton – the New York State Sportswriters Association’s second-ranked Class D team – did not go quietly.
The Killers Bees scored the first 15 points of the fourth quarter to make it a 65-56 game with 5:11 remaining.
Nelson and assistant coach Chris Payne started having flashbacks to 2016 and 2019 on the Panama bench. In each of those years, the Panthers blew double-digit leads in state semifinals, the second in the same Binghamton arena where they stood Saturday.
Bridgehampton continued its charge.
Alex Davis converted a layup through contact and Jaylen Harding followed a Brink free throw with a putback as the Section XI champions made it a 70-64 game with 2:54 left.
After a free throw from Panama senior Tate Catanese, the Killer Bees’ Xavier Johnson scored to make it a five-point game with 2:21 remaining.
Panthers senior Alex Barmore then turned in his most impactful play of the game when he scored on a tap-in with 1:50 left to make it 73-66.
After Jai Feaster made just 1 of 2 free throws, Brink sank another from the charity stripe with 1:44 left.
Panama senior Bryce Hinsdale, who was up until 4 a.m. vomiting early Saturday according to Nelson, then drew a charge with 1:34 left.
Just under a minute later, Brink scored in the lane and Hinsdale added two free throws 10 seconds later to push the Panthers’ lead back up to 11.
With 15.6 seconds remaining, Bridgehampton emptied its bench and Nelson did the same, knowing the Panthers were home free to the ultimate prize.
Barmore finished with 15 points, 12 rebounds and two blocked shots, while Hinsdale had 14 points, six assists and five rebounds for the Panthers.
Feaster led the Killer Bees with 31 points, Harding had 15 and Davis chipped in 10.
Check back at www.post-journal.com for updates.
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