GADSDEN – Prior to the Gaston girls basketball game against Spring Garden on Tuesday, head coach Tanya Bogle noted that it would be a game between two very young teams.

If this was the case, it appears both teams are maturing at a fast pace.

The Lady Panthers ended up edging the host Lady Bulldogs, 43-41.

With 20 seconds remaining and the game tied at 41, Spring Garden’s Haley Motes sank the back end of a pair of free throws. Madison Sides then iced the game with a free throw with .08 remaining.

Spring Garden (3-2) took a 10-5 lead after the first quarter, and the game was knotted 18-18 at the half.

Gaston (0-4) eventually took a 30-22 lead into the fourth quarter and appeared headed for its first victory of the young season.

But Motes, who led all scorers with 21 points, got the hot hand late in scoring 11 points down the stretch to lead the Panther comeback.

Kierra Porter paced Gaston with 12 points.

Spring Garden boys 46, Gaston boys 36

GADSDEN – Josh Hale appeared to be a man on a mission Tuesday in Spring Garden’s 46-36 victory over host Gaston.

Coming off of a broken arm he suffered during the football season, Hale rained down six 3-point baskets and scored a game-high 25 points as the Panthers handed the Bulldogs their fourth straight loss of the young season.

Spring Garden (1-0) raced to a 14-2 first quarter lead and never looked back. The Panthers led 25-11 at the half and 36-21 after three quarters of play. Gaston managed to cut the lead to 42-34 with 3:16 remaining in the game but could get no closer.

Jackson Bogle led Gaston with 13 points, followed by Trevion Rooks with 11.