By Marissa VanWingen, The Times-Citizen

Iowa Falls, IA – In the last decade, Ellsworth Community College has only won play-in games for the Region XI Tournament.

Saturday, the Panthers hosted and were victorious in a semifinal contest versus Iowa Lakes Community College. And they did it without their second leading scorer. ECC advanced to tonight's (Mon.) Region XI-B Championship against NIACC with the 67-54 decision.

"After the last couple of days, we've been a little flat. Energy-wise, excitement to a degree. We don't really know where we are, because we've never been," said coach Justin Rees. "We were really flat and the energy wasn't there. But, it's late in the year, we've played 30 games, we're beat up. We're fortunate to have these games at home, we've earned that and hopefully that pays off down the stretch."

The first two times the two squads had played, the Panthers (25-5) won by an average of 24.5-points. However, that was when the squad was healthy and it's difficult to beat a team three-times in one season. Since then, ECC lost Marin Agustsdottir (11.4 ppg) to an injury. 

Early in the contest, the Panthers found themselves down 9-5 before a steal and Ella Sharar's basket and free throw gave the Panthers the 10-9 lead. The hosts then went on a 10-4 run to end the quarter on top 20-13.

KeyKey Jefferson drained back-to-back triples in the left corner to extend the lead to double figures for the first time (28-18). The lead would swell to 15 with a Laia Santanach basket (37-21) and the hosts would go into the half on top 37-24.

ECC opened the second half on another run and built a 19-point lead forcing two early timeouts by the Lakers (12-19). The difference would be 51-39 heading into the final 10 minutes.

Iowa Lakes came storming back and drained a triple and then cut the deficit to 54-46 forcing Rees to call a timeout with 8:40 left in the contest. The Panthers ended the drought with a Rosario Panadero long ball. The Lakers would continue to cut into the lead and get within two possessions (60-54), but could never get closer than that as the hosts scored the final seven points of the contest.

ECC finished with four players in double figures. Santanach led with 18 points, followed by Sharar's 13. Taylor Ross tallied a double-double with 11 points and 12 rebounds and Jefferson also ended with 11 points.

For more photos from Times-Citizen: https://www.timescitizen.com/gallery/3-1-25-region-xi-b-semifinals-ecc-vs-iowa-lakes/collection_4e15c718-f6e8-11ef-81e4-7331f0ff1376.html#1

For more Times-Citizen coverage of Ellsworth athletics: https://www.timescitizen.com/sports/ecc/