Pinckneyville wins marquee matchup over Fairfield, 48-42
Pinckneyville, 22-2 coming into the Panther Showcase game on Saturday, defeated another highly-ranked southern Illinois team, the 20-3 Fairfield Mules.
Coming off a harder-than-expected win over Sparta on Friday, the Panthers knew they would have to step up their game to battle the Mules. The hard-fought, defensive struggle lived up to its marquee billing in the 8th and final game of the Thomas Gym Showcase with Pinckneyville rolling to a 48-42 victory.
Game MVP Dré Scott, described by Panther Coach Waggoner as "a load" inside, got the Panthers started by winning the opening tip, then setting up in the low post for two field goals on excellent assists by Devin Kitchen.
Scott scored again on a short hook shot in the lane for the Panthers' first 6 points, but each of them was matched by Fairfield at the other end of the court. The heavyweight bout was tied six times in the 1st quarter alone - with the Mules coming right back after a Grant Tanner field goal and 3-pointers by Hunter Riggins and Dawson Yates for the Panthers. Riggins hit 1 of 2 free throws to finish the Panther scoring, but Fairfield scored the final 4 points of the quarter to tie the game at 15.
Fairfield scored first in the second quarter for its last lead of the game at 17-15, then Yates tied it. Scott added a field goal, then another on an assist by Yates that resulted in a three-point play, followed by a Yates 3-pointer to stretch the lead to 25-17.
The Panther defense would yield only one more 3-pointer for the quarter, matched by another Scott hook shot and free throw, and Scott's follow-up shot at the buzzer, for his 16th point in the half, extended the lead to the Panthers' largest of the game at 30-20.
After halftime, defense ruled. Neither team scored in the first minute and a half, but Fairfield went on an 8-0 tear to get back to within 2 points before Scott would end the scoring drought for the Panthers almost 4 minutes into the 3rd quarter.
Tanner, Scott, and Yates all scored field goals for the Panthers after that, and the Mules cooled off, so the quarter ended at 38-32.
The Panthers held on through the 4th quarter with Kitchen carrying the bulk of the scoring load on a field goal and 3-pointer. Riggins added a field goal on a break, to stretch the lead to 9 points twice during the quarter.
Fairfield countered with a couple of long 3-pointers to keep the game in single digits, but the Panthers made enough free throws down the stretch - Kitchen hitting the front end of three one-and one opportunities - to hold off the Mules for the 48-42 final.
Scott led the Panthers with 20 points, with Yates the only other double-figure scorer at 10. Landon Zurliene had 20 for Fairfield, including the big 4th quarter three-pointers.
The Panthers take their 23-2 record to the O'Fallon Shootout on Friday to face perennial 2A power Bloomington Central Catholic, an opponent in the Panthers' last state tournament trip in 2018. The Panthers will return home next Saturday to face cross-county rival Du Quoin at Thomas Gym.