Panthers Keep B.I.T. Streak Alive With Win Over Foxes
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[ Pinckneyville was just a little better than Hamilton County from the free throw line, and in a game that featured 63 combined charity tosses by the two teams, that meant a 61-56 win for the Panthers and a 1-0 start to the 2009 Benton Invitational Tournament.
"That's a quality team we just played, and we found a way to win," said Pinckneyville head coach Bob Waggoner. "Both teams competed extremely hard, and that's what makes you better."
The Panthers (12-4) have now won six games in a row, and twenty -three in a row at the B.I.T. where they haven't lost since 2004.
Seth Thomas, who led all scorers with 21 points, had the Foxes off to a hot start with a layup after an offensive rebound that gave Hamilton County a 9-4 lead.
Drew Dudek's free throws early in the second quarter tied the game at 13-13, but the Foxes scored the next six and threatened to pull away.
Taylor Pyatt and Nathan Morton each hit a pair of free throws, then Dustin Winter cracked a smile as his three-pointer from the corner bounced up off the rim and in to give the Panthers a 24-22 advantage with 2:28 remaining in the first half.
With the Panthers up by one and holding for the final shot of the half, a five-seconds closely guarded whistle was blown on Winter as he began to drive to the basket, turning the ball over to the Foxes, who did not score.
Waggoner strongly disagreed with the call against Winter, and was called for a technical foul as he said something to the official as the teams headed into the locker rooms.
Thomas attempted the free throws, but couldn't hit either one, and the Foxes still trailed 27-26.
A quick 6-0 run over the span of roughly a minute gave Pinckneyville a 37-33 lead during the third, with Winter hitting a pullup jumper with 3:33 to go.
Thomas responded with a three-pointer at the top of the key for the Foxes to cut the lead to one.
Pyatt, who was part of a 32-point bench effort by the Panthers, was fouled on a fast break layup attempt with 2:27 on the clock in the third, and hit the free throw to complete the three-point play.
While his offense will show up in the box score, it was Pyatt's defense throughout the evening that impressed the Pinckneyville coach.
"Tonight he really did a nice job (guarding Thomas), Lively was struggling with him.," said Waggoner.
Winter's steal and layup a possession later gave the Panthers their biggest lead of the night at six, but free throws allowed the Foxes to hang around, as the game was tied for the eigth time at 49-49 with just over 3:00 to play.
A strong move to the goal by Morton paid off with a conventional three-point play shortly after, giving the Panthers a lead they would not relinquish.
Morton, Dudek and Winter combined to go 8-for-9 from the free throw line down the stretch as the Panthers held on for the five-point win.
"We got the ball to the right guys, they're our three best (at the free throw line)," said Waggoner
The Panthers shot 22-of-27 from the free throw line while the Foxes were 24-of-36.
Morton led Pinckneyville with 16 points off of the bench, Winter 15, Sims 10, Dudek 9, Pyatt 7, and Bryant Lively 4.
The Panthers' next B.I.T. opponent will be Okawville with Wednesday's tipoff set for 6:00 p.m. The Foxes (10-4) will face Cairo immediately following that contest.