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Washington Evening Journal
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Pekin doubles up on Louisa-Muscatine
Panther girls win at the buzzer, boys finish strong
PEKIN — Pekin basketball’s Tuesday night matchup against Louisa-Muscatine was a successful one as both the Panther girls and boys squads grabbed Southeast Iowa Super Conference North victories.
The Pekin girls were winners 46-45 after a buzzer beating put-back by sophomore center Anna Hadley and the boys closed strong for a 65-57 win.
In the girls’ game, Pekin built its largest lead of the night at the end of the third quarter.
A three ball from Alex Parsons kicked off what was a 9-2 run to the end of the quarter. Heading into the fourth, Pekin held onto a 35-27 lead.
But the Panther’s advantage wouldn’t last long.
Within two minutes in the final period, eight unanswered from the Falcons knotted the game at 35s.
Despite the Panther’s first bucket coming at the 3:40 mark, they never trailed, that is until the final minute.
A two from Hadley gave Pekin a 44-37 lead with a minute to go, but Louisa-Muscatine scored eight straight, which included a three with 33 seconds to take its first lead since the second quarter, 45-44.
But Hadley wasn’t going to let this one slip away.
After a Renae Eubanks shot was off the mark Hadley pulled down the offensive board with a multitude of Falcons surrounding her and was able to loft the ball through the net as the buzzer sounded to give the Panthers win number four.
Through the first half, Pekin and Louisa-Muscatine were tied 11-11 after one and the Panthers held onto a 20-17 lead at the half.
The win moves the Panthers to 4-5 on the season. Pekin is currently 4-4 in the SEISC North.
In the boys’ contest, Pekin largest deficit of the night was only three and that came just four minutes into the first frame.
It took the Panthers just under three minutes to find their first points of the conference clash, which came off a three ball from Cole Millikin.
After a three pointer the other way, Louisa-Muscatine led 8-5 with four minutes remaining in the first.
Beginning at the 3:37 mark, Pekin took over. Two points from Kasey Davis started what would be a 17-5 run through the end of the first quarter. The Panther’s JaeDon Wolver put a stamp on the end of the period with a deep three at the buzzer, giving Pekin an 22-13 lead.
Through the second frame, the two squads were dead even, both notching 16 points.
Louisa-Muscatine pulled within three, 24-21, early in the quarter following a 10-5 run.
Much like the first, Pekin ended strong in the final half of the quarter. The Panthers outscored the Falcons 11-6 to the end of the quarter and at the break they led 38-29.
The third quarter proved to be Pekin’s toughest of the evening. The Panthers were topped in the quarter 17-11, which put the Falcons down just three heading into the fourth, 49-46.
In the fourth, Pekin was able to hang on. Louisa-Muscatine came as close as four three times in the fourth, but it was never able to notch back-to-back baskets as Pekin answered back on every Falcons basket.
The Panthers ended up taking the final quarter 16-11 to seal it.
With the win, Pekin improves to 6-4 and sits in third in the SEISC North at 6-2.
