Hot start pushes Pekin boys past Highland

RIVERSIDE — The Pekin boys basketball team needed something to break its way. The Panthers were just 2-6 heading into a Southeast Iowa Super Conference showdown at Highland and had dropped three conference games by four points or less.

However, when the first game of 2022 was upon them, the Panthers answered the call. A hot start pushed Pekin past Highland 59-49.

“We're trying to move on and look ahead,” said Pekin coach John Swanson. “The finish to 2021 isn't what we wanted it to be. We know we can play with anybody, it's just can we play consistently at a high level for four quarters.”

The Panthers did play at that level for three. Pekin led 19-8 after one quarter, 36-19 at halftime, and 50-31 after the third.

Highland, however, didn’t go silently.

The Huskies battled back to cut the deficit to just eight points, at 55-47, down the stretch.

“They had the perfect recipe for climbing back in it,” Swanson said. “Kudos to them for not quitting.”

Swanson says it’s something his team is working on, the ability to not fade out when it has the lead.

“We’ve been notorious this year for coming out flat or fading,” Swanson said. “Once again, we did that.”

But alas, a fourth-quarter bump in the road didn’t spoil the Panthers’ third win of the season, thanks in part to 17 points apiece from Ben Ehret and Luke Long.

Colton Comstock scored 11 points for the Panthers to give them three double-digit scorers. Chandler Stull had nine, and Jackson Horras finished with five.

Highland’s Chase Schultz had a nice outing, scoring 18 points to pace the Huskies. Conner Grinstead scored 15. Trevor McFarland had seven. Brenton Bonebrake scored five. Kaige Vonnahme finished with three, and Tyler Thompson had one.

Pekin moved to 3-6 overall and 3-4 in conference play. Highland is now 0-8 overall and 0-7 in the league.