BOYS BASKETBALL: B.I.T. title returns to Pinckneyville
Carlyle put an end to Pinckneyville's eight-year strangle hold on the Benton Invitational Tournament crown last year, but this past Saturday night, the Panthers turned back the clock and fought through adversity to win their ninth B.I.T. title in ten years, finishing off a 5-0 tournament by beating the Indians 59-55 in the finale at Rich Herrin Gymnasium.
Without point guard Brian Taylor, who injured his knee in the Saturday morning contest, and having to play spurts without Tristan Fisher and Caleb Dahn, the Panthers still managed to get it done as the game turned into a free throw shooting contest over the final two minutes.
"It was tough at times, but we made them when it counted," said PCHS head coach Bob Waggoner. "Brian Taylor was out with a knee, Tristan Fisher gets cut, Dahn fouls out, you can go down the list - but the thing is we found a way. I thought we played some really good basketball tonight, I thought we were really aggressive. I thought we matched Carlyle's physicality. It was just a nice win for our kids."
The Panthers' best quarter of the night, and perhaps of the week-long tournament, was the first. Brayden Cowley - red hot from behind the three-point arc all week long - had a pair of threes in the first eight minutes and Nolan Luke tossed in eight points in the period as Pinckneyville jumped out to a 17-6 lead heading to the second.
The lead had swelled to 14 points with 2:56 to go in the first half after a driving layup by Luke, but the Indians started to chip away from that point on. Carlyle got a 9-0 run in before the break, and Pinckneyville held a 28-21 advantage with a half to go.
Carlyle had cut it to five early in the third when Cowley and Fisher hit three-pointers, and a layup by Adam Banach got the Panthers' advantage back to eleven at 38-27 with 3:00 left in the third quarter.
With 1:38 to go, the Indians had cut it back to six when Fisher and a Carlyle player collided near midcourt, resulting in a gash above Fisher's right eye that required him to leave the floor. He later returned to the game with a heavily-taped forehead.
Pinckneyville was up eight heading to the fourth, but the Indians continued to draw closer, getting as close as two on a couple of occasions - with 4:30 to go and with 1:27 remaining - but the Panthers made good on just enough free throws to stay in front, getting some help on an intentional foul by the Indians with a minute to go.
"It's always special, you like winning any tournament," Waggoner said, "I'm just happy tonight because we did it through some tough situations and our kids found a way. I'm ecstatic. I thought we got some great minutes out of Adam Banach, Tyler Rulevish - and Clayton Houghland's getting better and better."
For their efforts throughout the week, Taylor, Cowley and Fisher were all named to the B.I.T.'s All-Tournament team following the championship game.
"Taylor, although he didn't get to finish it off tonight, really played a nice four games coming into tonight," said Waggoner. "Tristan Fisher is a constant with us defensively, and offensively he's getting better with driving the ball, and he hit a couple of big threes tonight too, he was really an all-around player. And I'm so happy for Brayden Cowley, a senior who has probably been one of our most consistent performers this season so far with his shooting and his defense. I'm really happy for him, he's come a long way."
Luke, who very well may have been an all-tournament teamer himself had ballots not already been counted prior to the end of the title game, led the Panthers against Carlyle with 22 points. Fisher added 15, Cowley 13, Houghland 3, and Dahn, Rulevish and Banach each had 2.
Pinckneyville (16-6) resumes SIRR Mississippi Division play on Friday when they travel to Sparta. On Saturday, the Panthers host their annual shootout at Thomas Gymnasium, and will take on Breese Mater Dei at 8:00 p.m. as part of the lineup.
<span style="text-decoration: underline;">Pinckneyville 57, Hamilton County 47 (Friday)</span>
No matter their record, Hamilton County always seems to give the Panthers fits over at the B.I.T., and Friday night was another example of just that. The Foxes led PCHS 14-10 after the opening quarter before Pinckneyville was able to explode for 23 second quarter points to sieze the lead for good in Friday night's game.
A 14-4 run to close out the first half was the big difference-maker for the Panthers, who led by as many as fifteen points in the fourth quarter before holding on to win by ten.
Taylor led PCHS with 16 points against the Foxes. Luke added 11, Houghland 10, Fisher 9, Dahn 4, Cowley and Rulevish 2.
The Panthers forced 13 Hamilton County turnovers while committing only 6 of their own.
<span style="text-decoration: underline;">Pinckneyville 56, Sesser-Valier 54 (Saturday a.m.)</span>
The Panthers had to overcome another close call on Saturday morning as all-tourney teamer Nick Marlo poured in 24 points for Sesser-Valier and the Red Devils led by eight at the half before Pinckneyville stormed back in the third quarter to steal the victory.
With S-V on top 31-23, the Panthers came out of the halftime break with a 14-0 run to change the complexion of the ball game. Cowley and Taylor both had key three-pointers during the run, which was 18-0 if you include the last four points of the first half.
The Devils didn't just go away after that, though, and never trailed by more than eight. PCHS was up five late in the fourth, but Sesser-Valier later tied it on a Marlo three-pointer. Marlo then got a steal and looked to be driving in for the go-ahead layup with time winding down, but missed the easy bucket.
That allowed Fisher to grab the rebound and head the other way, where Luke pulled up for the game-winning jumper with three seconds left in the game.
The Devils got a timeout with 1.6 to go, but a desperation heave at the horn was off the mark.
Luke led the Panthers with 13 points, Cowley had 12, Fisher 9, Taylor and Houghland 8 apiece, Dahn 6.