Panthers turn it on in OT

MT. PLEASANT — For the Mt. Pleasant boys basketball team, they have been playing some of their best basketball as of late and it couldn’t have come at a better time.

The Panthers were able to match their best scoring quarter of the game in overtime, while holding the Regals to their lowest quarter total of the game to pull out a 55-43 win.

After a shot from Regina Catholic that tied the game at the buzzer, 41-41, the Regals held all the momentum. That didn’t hold back the Panthers.

“We go into the huddle and we’re all positive,” Rawson said. “The energy was good. You could see it in their eyes. We were fine and we certainly showed it in overtime.”

A three point bucket from sophomore Payton Hagans sparked a 14-2 run in overtime and the rest is history.

“Payton Hagans hit a huge shot to start the overtime,” Rawson said. “Man, that kid has no fear. He’s absolutely fearless.”

Mt. Pleasant built a 46-41 lead with two free throws from Aaiden Ashton before Regina Catholic grabbed two points to bring it back within three, 46-43. It’s the last points Regina Catholic would score in the period.

The Panthers would ride it out on the backs of Dewon Trent and Owen Vansickel. Trent brought the crowd to its feet with a one-handed flush off of the fast break. He finished with five points in overtime. Vansickel also added five in overtime.

“We needed Dewon to get some energy for us,” Rawson said. “We wanted to get him a little bit more involved in the second half. We talked to him before the game, ‘attack the basket.’ I’m just glad he made it and his energy level skyrocketed after that. You gotta love what Dewon brings to the game, team, and in the locker room.”

Despite pulling out the win, Regina Catholic gave the Panthers quite a scare.

The game was tight throughout the first half. After one quarter, the Regals held a 11-10 lead over the Panthers. In the second, Regina Catholic used a 10-5 run gain some space at the start of the quarter, increasing its lead to 21-15. The Panthers answered back with a 9-2 run of their own to retake the lead heading into halftime, 24-23.

Mt. Pleasant came out flat in the third. Following an early layup from Trent, the Panthers went scoreless until the back end of the quarter. The Regals rattled off an 8-0 run to make it a 31-26 ballgame. Two layups from Vansickle brought the game back within one once again, 31-30, heading into the fourth.

The Regals came out hot in the fourth. They built their largest lead of the game, 37-30, from back-to-back three point baskets. Mt. Pleasant was able to hold Regina Catholic to just four more points over the course of the quarter.

Following the two deep balls, Mt. Pleasant put together an 11-2 run to regain the lead. A Hagans three ball and free throw at the end of the run gave the Panthers a 41-39 lead, before the Regals hit the game tying shot.

“When they give me any space I feel like I’m a confident shooter,” Payton Hagans said. “So if they give me space I’m going to shoot it. Even after I air balled, you just gotta get back on defense and keep shooting.”

Hagans finished with a team-high 15 in the contest. Trent ended with 14. Vansickel added 12. Ashton chipped in 10 and Dylon Hagans had four.

With the win, the Panthers improve to 8-9 on the season. They will go head-to-head with Burlington on Friday.