Steeleville falls in Panther Basketball Showcase
<span>PINCKNEYVILLE -- Steeleville's Nic Hagel had 20 points and Dusty Sutton added 14, but a couple of turnovers late in the first half helped turn a close game into a rout in a 74-53 loss to Goreville on Saturday at Duster Thomas Gymnasium.</span>
<span>Playing in the opening game of the Panther Basketball Showcase, Steeleville led 27-26 with 1:09 left in the second quarter after Parker Lutz drained a 3-pointer.</span>
<span>But three Warriors turnovers in the final minute of the first half keyed an 9-0 Goreville run and the Blackcats took a 35-27 advantage into the locker room at halftime.</span>
<span>"We wanted to get the ball in the middle of the press," said Steeleville coach Bryce Bainter. "Late at the end of the first half we tried to dribble through it and that got us in trouble.</span>
<span>"I thought that was the key to the game, it was like a two-point game and we gave them a couple of easy baskets and I thought that was the turning point."</span>
<span>Five straight points by Braden Webb, who was named the game's MVP, pushed Goreville's lead to 40-27 with 7:22 left in the third quarter. Webb finished with 22 points, while Brant Glidewell added 12 for the Blackcats.</span>
<span>"He started off trying to shy away from contact a little bit and then we talked about it and I thought he kinda went right at them and got to the free-throw line," said Goreville coach Todd Tripp. "When he starts doing that it opens him up for a couple threes and he's got a pretty good all-around game.</span>
<span>"It makes it better for everybody else too."</span>
<span>Webb hit a 3-pointer with 1.2 seconds left in the frame to give Goreville a 57-39 advantage heading into the fourth quarter. A 3-pointer from Hagel brought Steeleville within 15, 57-42, with 7:34 left, but Goreville responded to push the lead back up to near 20.</span>
<span>"I wasn't impressed with our defensive effort," Bainter said. "I thought we let them penetrate and get too many shots in the paint.</span>
<span>"If they're going to make shots against us, it's gotta be from the perimeter and I thought we let them penetrate the paint too easily."</span>
<span>Goreville outscored Steeleville 49-14 in points in the paint and also got 20 bench points compared to nine for the Warriors. The Blackcats also won the rebounding battle, 32-24.</span>
<span>"I feel like we're in a good spot right now," said Tripp of where he thought his team was heading down the final stretch. "We're young and (at) this time of year, I feel like we're probably playing our best ball against the people we're playing."</span>
<span>Goreville improved to 10-11 with the win, while Steeleville fell to 5-17 with the loss. The Warriors are scheduled to return to Cahokia Conference play on Tuesday with a home game against Marissa-Coulterville.</span>
Steeleville visits Dupo on Friday before returning home to face Lebanon on Feb. 10.