BASKETBALL: Jr. Panthers beat Murphy, now 10-0

There will only be one unbeaten team playing in the December 1st marquee matchup between Pinckneyville Junior High School and Du Quoin Middle School, and it will be the Junior Panthers.

PJHS took care of Murphysboro 63-41 on Tuesday night, building a 21-8 lead in the opening quarter and never trailing. Three Junior Panthers finished the game in double figures - Devin Kitchen (16 points), Hunter Riggins (15) and Dawson Yates (12).

A stick-back bucket by Devin Kitchen made it 5-0 Pinckneyville a minute and a half into the ball game. He added another rebound and put-back two minutes later, this time drawing a foul and completing the three-point play at the line to make it 12-2.

Dalton Kitchen sank a three-pointer with 1:36 to go in the frame, and Noah Carter put one in from behind the arc just before the horn to give the Panthers a 13-point cushion after seven minutes of action.

A 13-3 second quarter for Pinckneyville put Murphysboro away by the half.

Derek Rohlfing finished with 8 points, Dalton Kitchen and Carter each had 5, and Ty Fleming finished with 2.

The Junior Panthers (10-0) and the DMS Warriors (7-1) will go head-to-head in the first of two highly-anticipated matchups next Tuesday at Du Quoin Middle School. The seventh grade game tips off at 5:30 p.m.