Monitor Photo/Blaine Clamon
The seniors of Mabank’s 2025-26 varsity basketball team gather to celebrate Luke Carter’s (center) 2,000 career point milestone before their home district game versus Athens Feb. 13, including Angel Guerrero, Joseph Magana, Luke Carter, Peyton Welk, Angel Guerrero, Jayden Colin, Luke Carter, Jayden Colin, Peyton Welk and Carter Sims.

MABANK–The Mabank Panthers hosted the first-place (and previously unbeaten in District 15-4A) Athens Hornets Feb.  13 while the boys’ basketball team held their annual Senior Night festivities, then beat the Hornets 62-51 and Brownsboro Feb. 17 by 21 points to end the regular season on a three-game win streak and secure a spot in the UIL playoffs.
Before tipoff, seniors Peyton Welk, Angel Guerrero, Jayden Colin, Luke Carter, Carter Sims and Joseph Magana were honored. Carter’s 2,000 career point milestone was also honored after he crossed that mark in the Panthers’ Feb. 10 home win over Kemp.
After the Hornets opened with a 3-pointer, Carter had a pair of free throws and a 3-pointer to give the Panthers the 5-3 lead. It was 9-3 going into the second quarter after four straight points by Colin. Later, the Hornets dropped six straight points to tie it at 9-9 with 4:33 left until halftime. 
Mabank regained the lead at 14-9 after a 3-point play by Cullen McFaul and a Carter basket. With Mabank up 19-14 with 1 minute left in the first half, a pair of Athens free throws cut the score to 19-16. Brody Stephen then extended the Panther lead to 22-16 with his 3-pointer. After the Hornets responded with their own 3-pointer, Sims had a free throw and Mabank led 23-19 at the break.
As the Hornets opened the second half by tying it at 23-23, a 7-0 run by the Panthers gave them the 30-23 lead. At 30-25, Sims drained a 3 for the 33-25 lead with 4:46 remaining in the third quarter.  With Mabank led 37-32 with 3 minutes left in the game, the Panthers used five points in a row to extend their lead even more, at 42-32. The Hornets then scored four straight points and cut the deficit to 42-36 at the end of the third quarter.
With the Panthers up 44-38, they went on an 11-1 stretch to lead 55-39 with 2:55 left to play in the game. Five-straight points by the Hornets cut the lead to 55-44 with 1:49 left. After one free throw by Welk, Athens used a free throw to trail 56-45 with 1:27 to go in the game. Carter and Sims then added two free throws apiece to extend the Mabank lead to 60-45. A late mini-rally by Athens wasn’t enough to keep them from their first District loss.