The Fort Stockton boys basketball team put forth it’s most complete performance of the season on Tuesday, Jan. 5 when the Panthers hosted Mc- Camey.

Fort Stockton never trailed by more than four points and were ahead by as many as eight points, leading the Badgers 45-37 with 45 seconds left in the third quarter.

But complacency set in for the next five minutes of game time and McCamey took advantage, outscoring the Panthers 20-10 the rest of the contest to earn a 57-55 win over Fort Stockton.

“I think we got a little comfortable with the lead and started playing how they wanted us to. Then we started to turn the ball over,” Fort Stockton head coach Jimmy Martinez said. “If we would have managed our mistakes and turnovers, I think the outcome would have been a lot better. We at least would have had a better chance.”

The final outcome overshadowed an otherwise impressive performance by Martinez’s team. Fort Stockton played selfless basketball and thrived at the defensive end with superior size via 6-foot-3 Cruz Rojas, and 6-foot-2 Ethan Acosta. The duo each recorded highlight blocks in the loss.

“Our defense was solid, played a big role in our success,” Martinez said. “Overall, I think this is probably our first game that we played all four quarters, even though we didn’t come out with the outcome that we wanted. But I think we played all four quarters good.”

Ethan Acosta scored a team-high 14 points while Devon Rodriguez also reached a doubledigit point total with 13. Cruz Rojas added nine points.

McCamey began their rally from the get-go in the third quarter. Fort Stockton held a 31-27 lead at halftime, which quickly turned into a 35- 31 deficit three minutes into the third quarter after an 8-0 by the Badgers.

The Panthers regained their first-half momentum a few minutes later, closing the third quarter on a 14-4 run to gain a 45-39 lead.

McCamey gained the lead for good with three minutes in the contest on a conventional threepoint play by Ivan Rubio, making it a 51-49 game.

With 9.6 seconds left in the game, Devon Rodriguez brought the Panthers within one point of the Badgers (56-55) after a 3-point conversion. For Stockton fouled on the following inbounds with 5.5 seconds left.

McCamey made one of their free throw attempt before the Panthers turned the ball over at mid-court coming up the floor with three seconds remaining.

Fort Stockton’s record falls to 2-10 with the loss. Up next is a contest at Alpine on Thursday.