KARNS CITY — One group returned to its identity. The other still has yet to find one.

Despite early troubles, Karns City ended up turning Keystone away, 44-24, in a boys basketball tilt Wednesday night.

The Gremlins (3-0) looked at a six-point deficit at the halftime. The hosts waited almost five minutes to score their first bucket of the game. They'd only knocked down a single shot from the floor in the second quarter while missing a good deal from behind the arc.

Karns City coach Zach Kepple wanted his team to go back to what they do best.

“We were very timid in the first half, settling for a lot of three-pointers,” Kepple said. “I told them when you're shooting well, that's all fine and good, but we weren't doing that in the first quarter. I told them we have to make sure we're moving the ball against the zone, because that's how you beat it. Get the ball to the dead spot, which I don't think we did at all in ther first half and then we did a couple times in the second. (It) opened up some layups and some jumpers.

“We reiterated them at halftime and then we went out and did that.”

In the third quarter, the Gremlins enjoyed a 15-2 run that saw sophomore Luke Cramer's jumper claim the lead with a little over three minutes to go in the frame. Meanwhile, Keystone couldn't put many shots up at all, let alone get them to sink. Junior forward Cole Henry scored the team's only basket in the frame.

“We didn't put in the work in the offseason and now it's catching up with us,” Panthers coach Greg Heath said. “We've got to get some things figured out.”

Entering this season, he added, he wasn't yet sure of the makeup of his team. Guys that he hoped would come out chose not to.

“It's been difficult so far,” Heath said.

Due to their trust in subs still being built, the Panthers (1-2) kept their starters on the floor for the majority of the contest, which also had to factor into the Gremlins' successes. The bench didn't contribute in the points category for the guests.

“We came out with a lot more energy, we did what we wanted to do, and it showed,” Kepple said. “I (give my players) a lot of credit for taking the gameplan that we talked about and then doing it.”

In Taite Beighley (13), Cole Sherwin (10), and Cramer (10), three different shooters posted double digits for Karns City.

“It's good to see multiple guys getting points on the board,” Kepple said.

Even senior Luke Garing, a usual starter who played as a reserve because of a thumb injury, added four points. His wrapped splint had to be approved by the officials, who told Kepple that it would be a week-by-week basis.

“We didn't even know until gametime whether he was going to be back,” Kepple said. “He really helped us on the glass tonight. He dominated the boards and he did a really good job defensively.”

The Panthers were held to five points total in the second half and missed six of their seven free throws in that time, as well.

“The second half, they made a few adjustments,” Heath said. “They've got some shooters. They've got Beighley and Cramer and Sherwin and they can shoot the ball. They did and that was the big advantage over us, I think. That was the difference.”

KEYSTONE 24

Tyler Albright 2 0-2 5, Cole Henry 5 2-4 12, Zander McHenry 3 1-3 7. Totals: 10 3-9 24.

KARNS CITY 44

Tatie Beighley 5 0-0 13, Cole Sherwin 4 0-2 10, Luke Cramer 4 1-2 10, Micah Rupp 2 3-3 7, Luke Garing 2 0-0 4. Totals: 17 4-7 44.

Keystone 12 7 2 3 — 24

Karns City 9 3 15 17 — 44

3-point goals: Keystone 1 (Albright); Karns City 6 (Sherwin 2, Beighley 3, Cramer)

Friday: Karns City at Cranberry