Austin Packers girls basketball team falls to Rochester Century 74-61 Tuesday evening

In a game you heard on AM 1480 KAUS, the Austin Packers girls basketball team was looking for win number 12 in a row over the Rochester Century Panthers in their home opener at Ove Berven Gym Tuesday evening, but it was senior forward Nora Lynch draining five 3-pointers on her way to leading four Panthers in double figures with 22 points as Century took a lead in the first half they would not relinquish in a 74-61 Big 9 Conference win.

Freshman guard Quinn Osgood drilled a 3-pointer seconds into the game to give Austin a 3-0 lead, and they also led by a score of 5-2 in the early going before the 3-point shooting of Lynch and guard Audreyana Whitney, offensive rebounding and strong defense enabled Century to go on an 18-4 run to take a 20-9 lead.  The Panthers pushed their lead to as large as 16 at 33-17, but the Packers, led by the scoring of Osgood and junior guard Ajiem Agwa ended the half on a 13-4 of their own to trim Century’s lead to seven at the half at 37-30.

The Packers were able to cut Century’s lead to four on two different occasions in the second half at 37-33 and 48-44, but the first 3-pointer of the game for senior guard Taylor Clarey, who will be playing for Lake Superior St. next season with 9:58 left gave the Panthers a 51-44 lead, and that basket started a 15-6 Panthers run to boost the lead to 13 points at 63-50 with 5:43 left, and another 3 from Lynch with 3:12 left gave Century their biggest lead of the game at 17 points at 72-55 on their way to the win.

Ajiem Agwa led Austin in scoring Tuesday evening with 22 points, including two 3-pointers, while Quinn Osgood drained three 3’s on her way to 21 points.  Atee Obang swished a 3-pointer in the first half on her way to five points and inspired play off the bench, Gracie Ahrndt tallied three points, Marissa Shute drilled a 3-pointer for three points, and Nora Sand added a reverse layup for two points in the game.

With the loss, the Packers are now 1-2 overall and 0-2 in the Big 9 Conference, and they will return to action Friday night at home versus the Rockets of Rochester John Marshall, with the varsity tip-off at Ove Berven Gym at 7:30 p.m. that evening.