A 2021 graduate of Alberton High School, Panthers boys basketball coach Carson Cashion is concentrating on teaching his team the beautiful game of basketball, and that work is already starting to pay off.

In his first year at the helm of the Alberton boys’ program, Cashion guided his boys through two more learning curve games last week, falling to the Frenchtown JV in Alberton Thursday, and dropping an undermanned 67-45 decision to the Vikings in Charlo Saturday.

The Panthers have only one game on tap this week, hosting Two Eagle River in Alberton Saturday.

Devin Hill scored 17 points, Jaxson Zimmerman 16 and Tam Dao eight in the game with Charlo Saturday. “We had a couple kids home sick and a few others at a robotics meet, both good excuses,” Cashion said.”So we had only six players to begin with, then we had one get hurt and were down to five.”

Kenyon Dumont scored a game-high 19 points for Charlo, Echo Edwards added 16, Karson Cox 14 and Ronson Hout 10.

Cashion said the learning while you play process is all part of his plan of teaching the game to his young Panthers.

“It’s a mindset, we are trying for an increased basketball IQ, for learning about how to play as a team,” he said. "About being engaged in the game for the full 32 minutes. I feel we are making progress.”

Consider those lessons still in progress to be paying off. “The kids are putting it together a little better each time out,” Cashion said, “and that’s really encouraging to see.”