Union County Basketball Downed by Neighbors

The Union County Panthers and Lady Panthers hit the road Friday night, Jan. 2, traveling to Blue Ridge to take on Fannin County in a non-conference basketball doubleheader. Despite strong efforts late in both contests, Union County came up short against a pair of physical and disciplined Rebels squads.

Lady Panthers Fall to Fannin County

The night opened with the Lady Panthers facing a tough challenge against Fannin County, which set the tone early with a fast-paced offensive attack. Fannin County jumped out to a 25–11 lead after the first quarter and maintained control through the first half, taking a 43–22 advantage into the locker room.

Union County showed improvement after halftime, scoring 14 points in the third quarter and matching Fannin County nearly point for point down the stretch. However, the early deficit proved too much to overcome as the Lady Panthers fell by a final score of 78–52.

Quarter	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4	Final
Fannin County	25	18	20	15	78
Union County	11	11	14	16	52

Panthers Battle Late, Come Up Short

The boys’ game followed a similar script early, with both teams struggling to find offensive rhythm in the opening quarter. Fannin County edged ahead 12–4 after one and carried a narrow 23–13 lead into halftime.

Union County continued to chip away in the third quarter, but Fannin County delivered its strongest push in the final period, scoring 28 points to pull away. The Panthers responded with 23 points of their own in the fourth, showing resilience and determination, but ultimately fell 65–47.

Quarter	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4	Final
Fannin County	12	11	14	28	65
Union County	4	9	11	23	47

Both Union County teams will look to build on the positives from Friday night’s road test as they continue their season at home against North Murray on Tuesday, Jan. 6.