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Washington Evening Journal
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Stories within game make a difference
IOWA CITY - As befits a substate game, there were numerous stories within Saturday's Class 1A tilt which Springville won 72-65.
- The Orioles advance to its first state tournament berth since 1975.
'I am a 2001 graduate of Springville so maybe it means a little extra to me,” 12-year Orioles coach Nick Merritt said.
- Pekin missed its chance to go to the state tournament for the first time.
'We lost in a district semifinal last year on a last-second shot,” second-year Pekin coach John Swanson said. 'This is a learning experience for me and the kids. I think it says something that we were this close. Year 2 of our program and we were so close to our ultimate goal.”
-The Orioles press caused Pekin trouble throughout the game.
'The story of the game was our turnovers,” Swanson said. 'We lose by seven and hand them 28 turnovers. Cut those turnovers in half and I think we win the game.”
'The more we pressed, the more we realized we could get steals on the back end of it,” Merritt said.
- Both teams put together an incredible shooting tear in the second quarter, a period won by the Orioles with eight 3-pointers in a 32-21 run. Pekin had five triples of its own. Pekin led 12-10 at the end of the first quarter and trailed 42-33 at halftime.
'They shot the lights out,” Swanson said. 'Even with our turnovers, if they don't shoot that well, I think we win the game.”
'We actually watched (NBA's Golden State's) Klay Thompson's 37-point quarter (Friday),” Merritt said. 'We didn't get there, but I think we were thinking of it and it inspired us.”
- The Panthers closed the third quarter on an 8-0 run and scored the first points of the fourth quarter to tie the game at 54, the first time the score was knotted since 10-10.
'We used a lot of energy to tie it up,” Swanson said. 'We got Big Mo (momentum) on our side and we gave it away.”
'We had a couple of panic moments, but nothing too world ending,” Merritt said.
The Orioles world continues at the state tournament in Des Moines March 9-13.
Union photo by Doug Brenneman Pekin's Brady Millikin puts up a shot Saturday in a substate final at Iowa City West High School where Springville defeated the Panthers 72-65 to advance to the state tournament.
Union photo by Doug Brenneman Pekin's Kennan Winn grabs a rebound Saturday in a substate final at Iowa City West High School where the Panthers lost to Springville 72-65.
