Panthers Keep Rolling at B.I.T.
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[ Pinckneyville used an explosive 12-0 first quarter run to build a lead that Benton could never recover from, and the Panthers stayed perfect at this year's Benton Invitational Tournament with a 54-42 win over the host Rangers last night at Rich Herrin Gymnasium.
"The first half, our guys really took it right to them," said Panthers' head coach Bob Waggoner. "I think it's hard for our guys to understand you need to keep that intensity for another sixteen minutes, but we still did a pretty good job of guarding."
With the Panthers down 4-2 midway through the opening quarter, Dustin Winter converted a steal into a layup to tie the game and start Pinckneyville's run.
Derek Kellerman followed with a three-pointer, and Drew Dudek would add another with just over a minute left in the quarter to give the Panthers a 14-4 lead.
Cody Sims ripped a rebound away from a Rangers' player to set up a three by Winter, and Benton head coach Matt Wynn had seen enough, signalling for timeout with 7:22 remaining in the half.
Sims would make a steal moments later and took the ball in uncontested for the slam dunk that brought the Panther fans to the their feet, as Pinckneyville led 19-4.
Cody Smith answered with a three for Benton, but the Panthers scored the next six points for their biggest lead of the night, 25-7. Sims had four points during the 6-0 spurt.
A 10-2 run for the Rangers in the third quarter kept it a ball game, but D. Kellerman hit a big three-pointer and Pinckneyville continued to make late, crucial free throws to hold on.
"We've got confidence in our free throw shooters right now at the end of the game," said Waggoner.
Winter led four Panthers in double figures with 13 points, Dudek added 11, D. Kellerman and S. Kellerman each finished with 10.
LaBuwi led the Rangers with 13 points as Benton fell to 2-1 for the tournament. Tim Corn, who was plagued with foul trouble all night, fouled out late in the fourth quarter with 8.
Pinckneyville (14-4), the lone tournament unbeaten at 3-0, will look to complete their fifth consecutive 5-0 B.I.T. on Saturday, with games at 11:00 (vs. Cairo) and 9:00 (vs. Carlyle).
The win was the eight in a row for the Panthers, a season high winning streak.
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