BOYS BASKETBALL: Woodlawn gives PCHS their first loss

A dreadful first half on the offensive end left the Panthers on the losing end of a 39-27 ball game against Woodlawn on Thursday night at the Kaskaskian Classic tournament in Carlyle, sending Pinckneyville into the third place game on Saturday while the Cardinals will play for the championship.

Clayton Houghland scored all ten first-half points for the Panthers, who trailed the game 8-0 until Houghland's layup with 2:33 to go in the opening quarter. Woodlawn got 8 first-half points from Ross Owens and took a 26-10 lead into halftime.

After the break, the Cardinals upped that lead to as many as 18 points before the Panthers came to life. Cale Jausel hit a jumper with 4:44 left in the third period, sparking a 7-0 run for PCHS to get them back in the game. Houghland had a coast-to-coast layup and J.C. Moll had a three-pointer during the run.

A 6-0 spurt to start the fourth quarter for Pinckneyville included a put-back by Houghland, a steal and layup from Moll, and an assist from Moll to Sam Simpson for a layup with 4:31 to play that brought the Panthers to within six at 31-25.

But the Cardinals went 8-for-10 at the free throw line from that point on, more than enough to prevent any PCHS heroics.

Houghland finished the night with 16 of Pinckneyville's 27 points. Moll (5 points), Simpson (4) and Jausel (2) had the rest. Owens led Woodlawn with a dozen, Austin Ballard added 10.

The Panthers (2-1) will meet either Carlyle or North Clay in Saturday's third place game. The Cardinals (3-0) will take on Okawville for first place after the Rockets beat up on Flora 67-44 in Thursday night's first game.