If attitude counts for anything, the Alberton Panthers boys basketball team is a championship-caliber squad.

Playing with low numbers and without one of their best players in Shea Fredette, coach Carson Callison’s Panthers fought gamely but lost twice last week, falling 68-29 to unbeaten St. Regis in Alberton Feb. 3 and to Noxon 34-29 in Noxon Saturday.

Hopeful of getting Fredette back from a knee injury for senior night, the Panthers will host Charlo in their final regular season game Friday.

“We’re hopeful, optimistic that Shea will get to play, he is a senior captain,” Callison said. “The whole team has been waiting for him to come back and he deserves to be recognized for all he has done for the Alberton basketball program.”

Callison said he appreciated his team’s efforts in both games last week. Against St. Regis, the powerful Tigers cruised to their fifteenth win of the season without a loss. Poor shooting hampered the Alberton side. “We had trouble getting the lid off the basket,” he said, “and St. Regis took advantage.”

Devin Hill led Alberton in the game with 14 points, Jaxson Zimmerman added six, David Scheer four, Tam Dao three and Josiah Morton two.

At Noxon, Hill poured in 33 points to lead the Panthers, Zimmerman added nine, Dao seen, Morton and Scheer two apiece and Caiden Delaney one.