Panthers Set Stage For Showdown With Indians
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[ Four Panthers finished in double figures and the post presence that had been missing much of the last few games returned, as Pinckneyville outlasted Red Bud 59-47 in last night's Regional semifinal at Thomas Gymnasium, setting up a third duel with Du Quoin in Friday's championship.
"I thought we had good balance tonight, defensively I thought everyone had a tremendous effort," said Panthers' head coach Bob Waggoner. "Our guys really paid attention to the scouting report and concentrating on taking (Red Bud) out of their strengths."
The Musketeers were in control early on after Tim Conway hit a jumper and Stefan Gregson followed with a three-pointer to give Red Bud a 13-9 lead with just under a minute to go in the opening quarter.
Things got turned around in a hurry, however, as Dustin Winter sank back-to-back threes for the first points of the second period. Derek Kellerman buried one from behind the arc just a minute later, and Cody Sims had a steal and a layup with 4:06 left in the half to give Pinckneyville a 22-17 edge and prompted a timeout from the Musketeers and head coach Dave Gillingham.
Chance Albertson scored out of the timeout for Red Bud, but D. Kellerman was open in the corner for another three on the Panthers' next possession, as Pinckneyville continued to fire away from the outside against Red Bud's zone defense.
Free throws from Sims and Drew Dudek completed a 17-4 run for Pinckneyville, and the Panthers led 29-21 at halftime.
Winter scored to open the second half, but then the Musketeers began to chip away at the lead. Conway hit a runner with 4:26 to go in the third, and after the fifth Pinckneyville turnover of the period, Adam Kunkel connected on a three-pointer to cut the Panthers' lead to 32-28.
"They're an excellent three-point shooting and dribble drive team, we tried to keep them off the arc and not let them set up, and really contest (their shots)," said Waggoner.
The Panthers had the answer, however, in a three-point play by Nathan Morton and a buzzer-beating three from Dudek to restore a ten-point lead heading to the fourth.
Free throw shooting became key in the final eight minutes, as Pinckneyville would attempt 18 charity tosses in the period. The Panthers were good on their first six, which extended their advantage to 49-35 with 2:59 to play. Pinckneyville was good on 20-of-25 (80%) free throws in the game.
Despite trailing by double digits the entire period, Red Bud refused to quit, fouling and sending the Panthers to the stripe to earn the win all the way down inside of 30 seconds to play before Waggoner emptied his bench.
"We thought we could frustrate them and wear them down for 32 minutes and I think we did a great job of that," Waggoner said.
Winter's 18 points led all scorers, Sims (12), Dudek (10) and Morton (10) joined him in double figures for the Panthers. Gregson led the Musketeers with 13 points.
Pinckneyville (22-6) will now face Du Quoin in Friday's Pinckneyville Regional championship at 7:30 p.m., a team they've suffered defeat to twice this season.
"We want to play them, and they want to play us, I'm excited," said Waggoner.
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