By Rick Pedone
Sports Editor

The Gateway Panthers made a statement Tuesday with a decisive 58-33 boys basketball win against 7A-5 district rival Poinciana at the John Ramirez gym.

Gateway, 5-2 and 4-0 in the district, will host Osceola Friday at 7:30 p.m. for another district test. The Kowboys, 6-1, fell to East Ridge, 66-48, in the district Tuesday.

Felix Gonzalez scored 15 points and Jordan Edmunds added 10 to lead a well-balanced, disciplined Panthers offense that dismantled the Eagles, 5-3.

The Gateway defense held Poinciana’s high-scoring guard, Stefan Moody, to 12 points. Gateway went on a 27-4 run through second and third periods.