BASKETBALL: Panthers earn weekend split with win at West Frankfort
WEST FRANKFORT & WATERLOO, IL - Too many fouls and too many turnovers cost the Panthers on Friday night at Waterloo (Gibault), but Pinckneyville rebounded on Saturday with a 52-34 road win over West Frankfort at Max Morris Gymnasium, improving to 4-2.
The Panthers led just 10-7 after the first quarter but started the second with a three-pointer and a driving two from Luke Miller, who led PCHS with 16 points on Saturday night. Pinckneyville held Frankfort without a field goal for a stretch of four minutes in the period and led 32-19 at the intermission.
"Offensively (Miller) drove the ball, got some fouls and then attacked the basket and I thought that was good," said Waggoner.
"I think two long road trips in a row, the fact that our kids had enough energy to find a way to win is pretty good. The Redbirds played a tough, gritty game. They got after us a little bit and our kids didn't really like it, it was physical."
Back-to-back buckets brought the Redbirds a bit closer at 36-25 with 4:35 left in the third, but Brandon Edwards answered with a three for the Panthers. Five straight Frankfort points brought them to within nine, but Pinckneyville went 6-for-7 at the free throw line in the fourth quarter while holding West Frankfort to a pair of two-pointers in the final frame.
Miller was the only Panther in double figures, Chris Priebe had nine points, all coming in the first half before he would later foul out.
"We had to play a lot of minutes without Chris Priebe for the first time, basically about a quarter without him," Waggoner said. "That was tough, but we still found a way and I'm happy with the fact that we came out of here with a win."
Chase Lazenby and Chaz Ruffino each finished with 7 points, Sterling Bejma 6, Caleb Dahn 4 and Edwards 3.
"The mental part of the game is very important and when you win you keep kids' spirits up, you find a way," Waggoner said. "Our guys hit a lot of free throws, I thought that was a big bright spot for us, getting to the line and knocking them down."
On Friday night, the Panthers and Hawks were knotted 25-25 at the break after a quick 7-2 run to close out the first half by PCHS. Brian Taylor drove in for a layup, Edwards hit a three from the corner, and Ruffino's jumper with 10 seconds to go tied the game.
Pinckneyville's tank began to run dry, however, as Gibault began to build a lead in the second half. The Hawks got 17 points from Wes Degener and 13 from Jordan McFarland, and the Panthers turned the ball over 15 times in the ballgame.
PCHS was forced to foul to stay in the game in the fourth, and Gibault wound up making 14-of-23 at the line while Pinckneyville was just 6-of-10. Class 1A's ninth-ranked Hawks (5-1) won 58-46.
Priebe led all scorers with 19 points, Miller added 9, Ruffino 7, Taylor 4, Edwards 3, and Dahn and Lazenby each had 2.
Pinckneyville (4-2) gets started in the Southern Illinois River-to-River Conference's Mississippi Division this week with a Friday night road game at Carterville.
There is hope that injured Panthers Dylan Hardin and Nolan Luke could be cleared to play by then.
"Both go to the doctor next week," said Waggoner, "It would be nice to get that little shot in the arm and get them back and add a little depth."