This one looked like a layup for the Panther Valley boys’ basketball team.

It was bombing its way from Nesquehoning to Lansford and back up to Summit Hill.

Heck, the Panthers’ three-balls were chasing Jim Thorpe back down Route 209.

The Panthers’ blitz from beyond the arc had to have them singing “Ain’t no stopping us now.”

But just when it looked like Panther Valley was going to cruise home with a double-digit victory, the visiting Olympians made a late charge.

It proved to be too little, too late, however, as the Panthers hung on for a 59-53 Schuylkill League victory.

On a night when Panther Valley drilled a dozen three-pointers, no one was hotter than Chase Weaver, who scored 23 points, bombing in five triples with nary a miss from beyond the arc.

He got plenty of help, too, as Stephen Hood nailed a trio of three-pointers and scored 16 points, while Drew “The Bumble Bee” Kokinda let fly with three treys for nine key points.

“We knew there was going to be a run from them at some time ... they’re a very athletic team,” said Panther Valley coach Pat Crampsie. “I was proud of the way we responded to it.

“Earlier in the year, we just never did (respond). Tonight, we stayed composed, held our heads up, and finished it off.”

The Panthers - who led by as many as 13 points in the third quarter and were still up 55-43 with under three minutes remaining - had to fight off a late Olympian surge.

Jim Thorpe made its run behind the dynamic duo of Kaiden Herron and Derryl Fisher, who both exploded late, with Herron scoring 10 of his team-high 19 points in the final eight minutes, while Fisher had six of his 17 points down the stretch.

“I have no explanation for what happened early,” said Jim Thorpe coach Jason McElmoyle about how his team dug itself a double-digit deficit. “But it shouldn’t be happening this late in the season.”

McElmoyle was referring to a 13-2 Panther Valley run in the later stages of the second quarter that helped Panther Valley rally from an early deficit to grab a 30-24 halftime lead. Weaver led the Panther assault, bombarding the nets for three triples and two foul conversions during the spurt.

Crampsie attributed that to solid ball movement, which afforded Weaver and Kokinda opens looks for their shots, while also creating space for Hood.

“Our big guys – Austin Hadley and Mike Pascoe – did a great job of moving and getting free. They were the key to our success, as much as shooting the ball.”

PV opened the second half the same way it closed the first, stringing together a 9-2 run as Kokinda drilled a corner for a triple, Weaver sank two from the charity stripe, and Hadley got a beaut of an assist from Pascoe for a layup, before Weaver kissed a bucket off the glass as he drove down the heart of the Olympians’ defense to make it 39-26.

The Panthers maintained that comfortable lead until Thorpe’s late fourth-quarter run made things interesting.

GREAT THEATER … Both teams had their highs and lows, but the game was always intense, as both teams played as if a title was on the line.

BY THE NUMBERS … PV drained 12 threes on 23 attempts for a sizzling 52 percent from behind the arc. Overall, the Panthers were 18-for-46 from the floor, while Thorpe was 21-for-51.

OFF THE GLASS … Panther Valley won the rebound battle, 34-26. Weaver and Hood both just missed double-doubles as they pulled down nine and eight boards, respectively. Herron also had a strong all-around game for the Olympians as he added eight rebounds to go with his big scoring night.

JUNIOR VARSITY … Thorpe copped the opener, 51-44 as Josh Spruill tallied 19 and Ben Goldberg scored 12. PV was led by Hayden Goida’s 14, and Brady Jones’ 11.

JIM THORPE

Herron 7-5-9-19, Fisher 7-2-4-17, McHugh 4-0-0-10, Richards 1-0-0-3, Heydt 1-0-0-2, Disanto 1-0-0-2, Bradley 0-0-0-0, Warner 0-0-0-0. TOTALS: 21-7-13-53.

PANTHER VALLEY

Weaver 6-6-6-23, S. Hood 5-3-5-16, Kokinda 3-0-0-9, Hadley 2-0-1-4, Pascoe 1-1-5-3, B. Hood 1-0-0-3, Kindt 0-1-4-, Turner 0-0-0-0. TOTALS: 18-11-21-59.

Jim Thorpe 16 8 10 19 – 53

Panther Valley 14 16 13 16 – 59

Three-pointers: Jim Thorpe - McHugh 2, Richards 1. Panther Valley - Weaver 5, Kokinda 3, S. Hood 3, B. Hood 1.