After a slow start to the season, the Panorama Panthers boys basketball team (5-11 overall) is finding success in January. The Panthers, who had one win during eight games in 2017, has rattled off four wins in their last five contests. The latest pair of wins came over the span of 24 hours. Panorama’s only loss in the previous two weeks came last Tuesday at home against Earlham (6-7 overall), 57-39. The Panthers bounced back Friday with a 50-40 victory over Guthrie County rival AC/GC (3-14 overall). Panorama turned around Saturday morning and traveled to southwest Iowa for a nonconference matchup versus the Shenandoah Mustangs (2-12 overall). The Panthers and the Mustangs needed overtime to decide the outcome with Panorama edging Shenandoah, 56-52.

Freshman Zac Rizzuti posted back-to-back 13 point performances against AC/GC and Shenandoah, grabbing 13 total rebounds over the two games. Panorama head boys basketball coach Brad Halterman has seen positive growth from Rizzuti all season. “Mistakes (he was) making at the beginning of the year, aren’t being made anymore,” Halterman said, “He understands where his strengths are and he does a great job of going to those strengths.”

The Panthers boys and girls basketball teams return to the floor tonight in Madrid in a West Central Activities Conference varsity doubleheader against the Tigers. The varsity girls game starts at 6 p.m., and the boys game will follow from Madrid High School.