Boys Prep Basketball: Big weekend as Panthers sweep Herrin, Nashville
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Following what he called "maybe our best week of practice all season long," Pinckneyville Community High School Boys Basketball coach Bob Waggoner shared a Christmas wish with his rapidly-improving team Thursday.
"I told them I really wanted three things for Christmas," Waggoner said about approaching games against strong opponents from Nashville, Herrin and Du Quoin. "And that was a win in each of these next three games. We've kind of made our cake, baked it and now just need to put the icing on it Tuesday (vs. undefeated Du Quoin). It was a great weekend. I am really proud of our effort in two very difficult road games."
Pinckneyville's hard-nosed defense frustrated Nashville during a 51-39 win in Assembly Hall then duplicated its effort with a 12-point triumph (58-47) at Herrin Saturday.
Against Nashville, Pinckneyville used a 12-1 spurt that began with late first quarter baskets from Drew Dudek and Kyle Lamb and carried over into a 17-5 lead by midway through the second frame.
PCHS was ahead 21-2 at the quarter break, holding Nashville (5-2, 1-1) scoreless until Brock Pries marked from the baseline with 2:12 left. The Panthers had a 21-12 lead by intermission and were in front for good.
Nashville closed within 29-27 early in the final frame but Pinckneyville never lost its lead and finished off the hosts with some brilliant (12-of-14) foul shooting.
Dudek had a game-high 20 points, hitting six free throws down the stretch. Nathan Morton added 15 points.
"We've lost tough two games (vs. Murphysboro and St. Louis Vashon) where didn't finish the game," Waggoner said. "I think our guys finally finished the ballgame strong."
The Panthers were 17-of-22 at the foul stripe.
Nashville, which hit just one first 17 shots, was led by the scoring of Pries (14) and Sam Brown (12.)
At Herrin, the imposing Tigers front line of 6'9 Alex Brown, 6'3 DeMarlo Harris and 6'4 David Mallow caused Pinckneyville some early problems. Herrin led 12-7 after one quarter before the Panther defensive began taking its toll in a very physical game.
Down 18-11, PCHS roared to life as Shay Kellerman (13 points, eight rebounds) scored three straight baskets to make the score 18-17.
A pair of free throws by Morton put PCHS ahead for good and Steven Brueggeman's runner after a steal near mid-court just beat the intermission buzzer for a 21-18 Panther advantage.
"Even when Herrin was making its runs we were still guarding them pretty good," Waggoner said. "Then in third quarter we came and just really executed well, guarded well and just took the game over."
A five-point run from senior guard Landon Chandler pushed the lead to 27-20 as Brown quickly went to the bench with four fouls.
With the SIU-E signee out, Pinckneyville quickly stretched the lead to 44-27 as the third quarter ended.
"I felt like we really controlled the tempo for most of the game," Waggoner said. "Shea Kellerman had a great game defensivley for us and everyone talks about the shot Steven Brueggeman hit before half. That was big, but he sort of set the table for us by coming in and playing aggressive on both ends of the court. We were a little timid early. Jake Bathon had a nice game defensively, too."
Dudek joined Kellerman in double figures with a game-high 17 points. Herrin was led by the 12 point games of Mallow and Brown and lost for the third straight time. The Tigers committed 21 turnovers.
Pinckneyville 51, Nashville 39
PCHS 09 12 08 22-51
Nashville 05 07 13 14-39
PCHS (4-2, 2-0):
Chandler 7, Lamb 4, Kellerman 3, Dudek 20, Shopinski 2, Morton 15, Pyatt 0. TOTAL 16 17-22 51.
Nashville (5-2, 1-1):
Heggemeier 8, Feiber 2, Meyer 2, Pries 14, Brown 12, Guest 1, Mammel 0. TOTALS 10 18-26 39.
THREE-POINTERS-PCHS 2 (Chandler, Kellerman). Nashville 1 (Heggemeier). TEAM FOULS-PCHS 23, Nashville 21.
Pinckneyville 58, Herrin 47
PCHS 07 14 23 14-58
Herrin 12 06 09 20-47
PCHS (5-2):
Chandler 7, Morton 6, Pyatt 5, Bathon 4, Brueggeman 3, Lamb 3, Dudek 17, Kellerman 13. TOTALS 17 23-28 58.
Herrin (5-4):
Hart 9, Harris 9, Jones 4, A. Brown 12, Mallow 12, Timmons 1. TOTALS 15 16-23 47.
THREE-POINTERS-PCHS 1 (Chandler), Herrin 1 (Hart). TEAM FOULS-PCHS 19, Herrin 25.