Chassell’s Brayden Larson drives to the hoop against a Wakefield-Marenisco player during a game Monday at the Ed Helakoski Gym in Chassell. (Eddie O’Neill/Daily Mining Gazette)

CHASSELL — The Chassell Panthers opened 2025 with a valiant second-half effort against the visiting Wakefield-Marenisco Cardinals on Monday, but it was too little too late. Despite outscoring the Cardinals 38-31 in the third and fourth periods, they could not overcome their poor first and second period performance and lost 67-55.

“We came out flat,” said Chassell coach Joel Larson. “That slow start hurt us. We dug a deep hole and couldn’t catch up.”

That slow start for the Panthers (2-6) equated to just five points for them in the first eight minutes. Wakefield, meanwhile, scored 15 and another 21 in the second. The Panthers poured in 12 in the second, but a 10-point difference after the first was now a 19-point deficit at half with a 36-17 Cardinals’ lead.

“I liked how we played off the pick-and-roll most of the game. That was very effective,” noted Wakefield coach Pat Libertoski. “I told the team at half time to keep working that.”

In the second half, the Panthers seemingly came alive and worked the ball well and stepped up the hustle much to the delight of their coach.

“We changed things up on offense and were able to have some success,” said Larson. “Our guys were aggressive till the end, and we were able to get into the game, but couldn’t stop them.”

In the fourth, the Panthers came within 10 points at 61-51 with around two minutes to go, but that is as close as they got in the 12-point loss.

“It wasn’t our best game, but I am obviously happy for the win,” added Libertoski.

Chase Lane led the scoring for the Cardinals with 20 points. Eli Hewitt followed with 15.

“Eli gets the game ball,” said his coach. “It is the first time he ever scored in double figures.

For the Panthers, Brayden Larson led with 21 points and Grady Olson followed with 18.

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The Panthers head to Ontonagon of Friday to face the Gladiators.