Panthers get overtime win against Demons

An overtime game Friday between Southeast Conference rival high schools Washington and Mt. Pleasant is no surprise.

What was surprising was Mt. Pleasant converted just three field goals in the first half yet only trailed 21-17 on the way to winning 50-46.

'I thought defensively we came to play and that is something we have been working on over Christmas break.” WHS coach Collin Stark said.

'We knew Washington was going to be strong athletic and physical,” Panthers coach Caleb Akey said. ”The bottom line is we had a lot of easy looks that just did not go in. We did a good job of working the ball, but it just did not fall for us.”

What was surprising was Washington made 19 field goals including three 3-pointers while the Panthers made 12 field goals including one 3-pointer.

The score was tied 8-8 at the end of the first quarter thanks to a basket at the buzzer by Mt. Pleasant's Clayton Lowery.

Ethan Hunt scored six straight points for the Demons for their biggest lead of the game at 21-15.

Eleven of the Panthers' points were from the line in the first half and they went 25 of 29 in the game. Mt. Pleasant is sixth in Class 3A in free throw percentage at 72, which will improve after shooting 86.2 percent in the game.

Washington did not shoot a free throw until halfway through the third quarter and was 5 of 10 in the game.

With under a minute left in regulation and the Demons up by a point, Trevor Quigley had made a basket that was waved off on a charge call.

After the Panthers outscored the home team 14-6 in the third quarter, the game was tied at 43 at the end of regulation.

Travelling violations were called and not called at crucial times.

Down three with 23 seconds left in overtime, Washington called timeout to set up a play, but Tucker Johnson stole the inbounds to clinch the win for the Panthers.

'We have to take care of that inbounds pass,” Stark said. 'There was a lot to this game, it wasn't all on that.”

Washington‘s point guard, Luke Turner, had fouled out of the game early in overtime.

Mt. Pleasant's Keegan Kohorst had fouled out with 19 seconds left in regulation.

'We were in some trouble when Keegan went out, but we made some good decisions and we made our free throws,” Akey said. 'I just wanted us not to force anything and just go play basketball.”

'What a game. It was a great game. I really wanted it for the guys,” Stark said. 'I thought a win here could really pull us forward. The main thing is that we learn from it. We have to continue to work on our offensive end.”

Rhett Zeglen's offensive rebound and putback gave the Panthers their biggest lead of the game at 36-30 with 6:04 left in regulation. He finished with 12 points. Sam Beatty had 13 points, going 9 of 11 at the foul line. Kohorst had 12 points, hitting 5 of 6 free throws and the Panthers' only 3-pointer.

After picking up his fourth foul with 4:42 left in the third quarter, Trashaun Willis made it to the end of the game and scored 11 points, including going 3 of 4 at the foul line in the last minutes of regulation. Trevor Quigley led the Demons with 12 points. Cade Hennigan had nine and was a force on the boards.

Washington is 2-6 overall and 1-3 in the SEC. The Demons play at Keota Thursday.

Mt. Pleasant is 4-5, 2-2 with Saturday's game at Central Lee and a game Friday when Fairfield comes to visit.