BASKETBALL: Jr. Panthers stay unbeaten with win over Nashville
Dawson Yates and Devin Kitchen each put in 13 points to help Pinckneyville Junior High School keep their unbeaten record intact with a 42-30 home win over Nashville on Tuesday evening.
The Junior Panthers never trailed and took charge right out of the gate with an 11-3 first quarter, getting 8 points from Derek Rohlfing. Rohlfing had back-to-back buckets to start a 6-0 stretch to close out the period for PJHS, putting in a layup on an inbounds play under the basket and scoring on a bank shot on a fast break moments later. Devin Kitchen stuck back a rebound with a minute to go in the quarter to complete the run.
The Hornets stuck around, though, outscoring Pinckneyville 9-7 in the second quarter to trail 18-12 at half, and Nashville crept to within a single possession towards the end f the third quarter with five straight points to cut the Panthers' lead to 22-19.
PJHS had answers for every push the Hornets made, however. Devin Kitchen hit a shot to stop Nashville's run and Yates took a steal to the goal for a layup to close out the period.
The Junior Panthers kept their spurt going in the fourth, as Noah Carter's layup off Hunter Riggins' steal, a baseline jumper by Riggins, and a driving layup by Devin Kitchen completed a 10-1 run and forced a Hornets timeout. Nashville got no closer than ten points down the rest of the way.
Rohlfing finished with 8 points, Riggins had 4, Carter and Dalton Kitchen 2 apiece.
On Monday night, the Junior Panthers made quick work of Trico, outscoring the Junior Pioneers 21-4 in the opening quarter on their way to a 65-17 thumping.
Eleven PJHS players scored in the game with Devin Kitchen's 12 points leading the way. Yates and Carter both added 9 points, Rohlfing had 8, Dre Scott and Trent Morgenstern had 6, Riggins 5, Colton Priebe 4, and Dalton Kitchen, Ty Fleming and Ben Restoff each finished with 2.
PJHS is now 8-0 and appears to be on a collision course with fellow unbeaten Du Quoin (5-0), who they will meet on the road December 1. Up first for the Junior Panthers will be a trip to Zeigler-Royalton on Wednesday, and a home game with Murphysboro next Tuesday.