JUDA - With 3.4 seconds left and Juda clinging to a three-point lead, Panthers coach Mike Armitage wasn't going to roll the dice and foul a Pecatonica player before they could shoot a potential game-tying 3-pointer Tuesday night.
Armitage's plan paid off as Pecatonica sophomore Drew Schliem missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer and the Panthers escaped with a 44-41 win.
Armitage said he wanted the Vikings to take a deep shot going away from the basket. That came on the heels of the Panthers fouling the Vikings with just one foul to give.
"I honestly felt that if they were going to make a 30-foot shot, we would have to tip our cap to them and go to overtime," Armitage said. "It never even crossed my mind to foul."
Pecatonica coach Matt Fink said the Vikings had three options on the final play and Schliem shooting a 3-pointer was one of them.
"Obviously, we would have liked to have had more space for Drew," Fink said. "They contested it well. It's a tough shot for anyone. They still had a foul and could have put us on the free throw line. They had a great game plan down the stretch. I can't take anything away from Juda."
Juda senior Cole Bauman, who scored a game-high 17 points and made four 3-pointers, made 1 of 2 free throws to give the Panthers a 3-point lead with 9.4 seconds to go. Bauman could only recall free throw shooting drills at the line and the game on the line.
"I was just thinking about chair shooting," Bauman said. "You do it for your form. We practice it every day in practice."
Bauman was excited the Panthers could pull out the win even despite senior Kade Allen missing the fourth quarter with an ankle injury. Another key play came when Juda senior Todd Davis drew a charging foul on Pecatonica senior Dillon Conwell with 19.9 seconds left in the fourth quarter.
"That was a big defensive stop," Bauman said. "It was great to see that charge. Every conference win is always good. Some of our other guys stepped up and got the job done."
The Panthers had several players contribute. Juda senior Tanner Bauman made two key 3-pointers and freshman Derrick Byrne hit a big jumper. Juda senior Matt Trotter scored nine points and Allen added eight points.
Armitage was glad to survive the game with two players battling illness and two facing eight-game suspensions due to an athletic code violation.
"We had players step up," Armitage said. "I was very pleased with everyone who logged minutes. I was really pleased with how smart and tough they played."
Pecatonica senior Jon Hendrickson scored a team-high 16 points and Schliem added 14 points including four 3-pointers.
"It's definitely frustrating," Fink said of the loss. "It's things that are correctable. It's just taking longer to correct them. I take responsibility for that. I have to get these guys better prepared to play and win. It's tough to lose a close game."
Fink said the Vikings have to do a better job of rebounding and getting through screens to challenge shots on defense.
"To be honest we just have a hard time scoring," Fink said. "We just need to be more consistent in stretches."
The Panthers jumped out to a 22-18 lead at the half, behind Allen who had three offensive rebounds and all eight of his points in the first two quarters. It was a see-saw second half as Cole Bauman drilled a 3-pointer with 6:31 left in the third quarter to give the Panthers a 25-20 lead. Pecatonica freshman Brooks Chandler answered by knocking down a 3-pointer and Schliem hit a 3-pointer at 2:39 to tie the game at 30.
The Panthers made seven 3-pointers in the game and the Vikings finished with five. Schliem again drilled a 3-pointer late in the third quarter to tie the game at 35.
Cole Bauman and Tanner Bauman each hit 3-pointers in the fourth quarter to give the Panthers a 43-39 lead midway through the fourth quarter. That set the stage for a dramatic finish.
"I like the way Tanner plays," Armitage said. "His scoring doesn't surprise me because he does it in practice."
Armitage said he was glad to get the narrow win, recognizing the talent the Vikings have.
"They have some players over there in Drew Schliem, Jon Hendrickson and Brooks Chandler who can hurt you," he said. "Pecatonica is an up and coming team."
Armitage's plan paid off as Pecatonica sophomore Drew Schliem missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer and the Panthers escaped with a 44-41 win.
Armitage said he wanted the Vikings to take a deep shot going away from the basket. That came on the heels of the Panthers fouling the Vikings with just one foul to give.
"I honestly felt that if they were going to make a 30-foot shot, we would have to tip our cap to them and go to overtime," Armitage said. "It never even crossed my mind to foul."
Pecatonica coach Matt Fink said the Vikings had three options on the final play and Schliem shooting a 3-pointer was one of them.
"Obviously, we would have liked to have had more space for Drew," Fink said. "They contested it well. It's a tough shot for anyone. They still had a foul and could have put us on the free throw line. They had a great game plan down the stretch. I can't take anything away from Juda."
Juda senior Cole Bauman, who scored a game-high 17 points and made four 3-pointers, made 1 of 2 free throws to give the Panthers a 3-point lead with 9.4 seconds to go. Bauman could only recall free throw shooting drills at the line and the game on the line.
"I was just thinking about chair shooting," Bauman said. "You do it for your form. We practice it every day in practice."
Bauman was excited the Panthers could pull out the win even despite senior Kade Allen missing the fourth quarter with an ankle injury. Another key play came when Juda senior Todd Davis drew a charging foul on Pecatonica senior Dillon Conwell with 19.9 seconds left in the fourth quarter.
"That was a big defensive stop," Bauman said. "It was great to see that charge. Every conference win is always good. Some of our other guys stepped up and got the job done."
The Panthers had several players contribute. Juda senior Tanner Bauman made two key 3-pointers and freshman Derrick Byrne hit a big jumper. Juda senior Matt Trotter scored nine points and Allen added eight points.
Armitage was glad to survive the game with two players battling illness and two facing eight-game suspensions due to an athletic code violation.
"We had players step up," Armitage said. "I was very pleased with everyone who logged minutes. I was really pleased with how smart and tough they played."
Pecatonica senior Jon Hendrickson scored a team-high 16 points and Schliem added 14 points including four 3-pointers.
"It's definitely frustrating," Fink said of the loss. "It's things that are correctable. It's just taking longer to correct them. I take responsibility for that. I have to get these guys better prepared to play and win. It's tough to lose a close game."
Fink said the Vikings have to do a better job of rebounding and getting through screens to challenge shots on defense.
"To be honest we just have a hard time scoring," Fink said. "We just need to be more consistent in stretches."
The Panthers jumped out to a 22-18 lead at the half, behind Allen who had three offensive rebounds and all eight of his points in the first two quarters. It was a see-saw second half as Cole Bauman drilled a 3-pointer with 6:31 left in the third quarter to give the Panthers a 25-20 lead. Pecatonica freshman Brooks Chandler answered by knocking down a 3-pointer and Schliem hit a 3-pointer at 2:39 to tie the game at 30.
The Panthers made seven 3-pointers in the game and the Vikings finished with five. Schliem again drilled a 3-pointer late in the third quarter to tie the game at 35.
Cole Bauman and Tanner Bauman each hit 3-pointers in the fourth quarter to give the Panthers a 43-39 lead midway through the fourth quarter. That set the stage for a dramatic finish.
"I like the way Tanner plays," Armitage said. "His scoring doesn't surprise me because he does it in practice."
Armitage said he was glad to get the narrow win, recognizing the talent the Vikings have.
"They have some players over there in Drew Schliem, Jon Hendrickson and Brooks Chandler who can hurt you," he said. "Pecatonica is an up and coming team."
