Panther roll over Ravens with big final half

Pekin’s Emma Phillips skies for two against Hillcrest Academy on Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2023. The Panthers were winners 56-21. (Hunter Moeller/The Union)

PACKWOOD — Pekin and Hillcrest Academy girls basketball were pretty tight knit after one half of play on Tuesday night at Pekin.

Hillcrest Academy’s Claire Withrow pulls up from three against Pekin on Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2023. (Hunter Moeller/The Union)

That didn’t last though as Pekin picked up the pace in the second half, doubling the Ravens quarter totals on its way to a 56-21 victory.

In the first half, both teams struggled to put the ball through the basket.

Hillcrest Academy jumped out to a 3-0 lead and then a 5-3 lead after four minutes of action, but the Ravens would never score again in the first quarter.

From the 4:20 mark in the first to the end of the period, the Panthers scored nine unanswered to make it a 12-5 game.

Through the second, it was another back and forth battle.

Hillcrest Academy was able to get it down to four, 12-8, while holding the Panthers scoreless until just 2:10 remained. That was as close as they would come.

Pekin found its stride in those two minutes as they scored seven unanswered capped off with a three ball from Abby Guise.

Pekin’s Alex Parsons connects on a three in the Panthers win over Hillcrest Academy on Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2023. (Hunter Moeller/The Union)

The Ravens Claire Withrow hit a floater with eight second on the clock to give Hillcrest some momentum heading into the locker room.

In the second half, it was all Pekin.

Hillcrest opened the scoring in the third period with a two from Niva Helmuth, but the Panthers’ following runs began to add up.

Claire Roth and Emma Phillips combined for a 6-0 run, before the Ravens next bucket. Phillips and Brooke Miller followed that run with a 7-0 run before a Raven two.

Pekin ended the quarter on a 7-3 run, capped off by a Anna Hadley two with 29 seconds on the clock.

The Ravens were outscored 20-9 in the third and trailed 39-19 heading into the fourth.

Hillcrest Academy’s Malia Yoder looks for a driving lane against Pekin on Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2023. (Hunter Moeller/The Union)

The fourth quarter proved to be Hillcrest Academy’s toughest scoring outing of the night.

Pekin scored 15 straight to make it 54-19 and ended with a total of 17 for the quarter.

The Ravens scored just two points in the quarter.

Pekin improves to 3-14 with the win, while Hillcrest Academy drops to 0-17.