The tournament concluded on Monday in Prophetstown with the final games delayed by a day due to weather.
The game did not start well for the home team Panthers as Rock Falls got out to a 7- 0 lead just over 2 minutes into the game. A three-ball by Connor Keegan got EP on the board and would be the start of a 3-point barrage on the night by the Panthers. A three-ball by Evan Steimle, one of his 6 in the game, made it a 9-6 Rocket lead but Rock Falls would go on a 10-0 run over the next 2 1/2 minutes building a19-6 lead. The Panther’s Caleb Brown responded with back-to-back threes to cut the margin to 7 with a bucket at the buzzer by the Rockets making it 21-12 after one period.
Rock Falls pushed their lead back to 11 early in the second quarter before a bucket by Gus Schultz and a four point play, on a three ball and a foul, by Keegan got the Panthers within 5 at the 5:30 mark. Back-to-back threes by Steimle and Keegan made it a 2 point contest at 26-24 with just under 3 minutes left in the half as Keegan phit for 9 points in the quarter. A couple of turnovers by the Panthers allowed Rock Falls to regain a 6 point lead with a bucket by Schultz in the closing seconds making it a 32-28 Rocket lead at the half.
Evan Steimle opened the third quarter for EP with another one of his three-point buckets to get EP within 1. An offensive rebound and a putback by Keegan tied the score for the second time in the contest at 34 with 5 1/2 minutes remaining in the quarter. Schultz then got into the 3-point club as his bucket gave the Panthers their first lead of the night at 37-36. The three-point aerial display for the Panthers continued as Steimle hit back-to-back tres to put the Panthers up 45-39 with just under 2 minutes left in the third quarter. The Rockets responded and with a bucket at the buzzer took a 46-45 lead into the final 8 minutes.
It was a rough start to the fourth quarter for the home team as they committed three consecutive turnovers, but their defense held with Keegan giving the Panthers a 47-46 lead at the 5:45 mark. EP’s Derek Naftzger found Keegan open at the top of the key with a great assist from under the basket to put the Panthers up by three with 2 1/2 minutes left in the game. After a Rocket bucket Steimle dropped in his sixth 3 of the night from the corner to put the home team up by 4 with just over a minute left.
Rock Falls got a quick score to make it a 2 point game and then began a game of keep away with just under 60 seconds to play. The Rockets had not committed any fouls in the quarter which forced them into chasing and fouling the Panthers finally forcing Keegan to the line with 8.7 seconds to play. The senior converted both of the charity tosses with the Rockets turning the ball over on the ensuing inbounds play giving EP the win.
Connor Keegan led all scorers with 21 including four three-balls. Evan Steimle had 18 on six three-pointers with Caleb Brown adding 9 with a pair of threes. Heald had 17 for the Rockets with Burns contributing 15. Rock Falls had five three-pointers.
Panther coach Ryan Winckler said the start to the season has been a battle. “I’m just really proud of how our guys have continued to fight these first three games. There are a lot of things that did not go our way. We did not execute very well at times, and found ourselves in a hole early in each game. Our guys are showing a lot of grit, and toughness. I’m proud that we have out rebounded each one of our opponents so far this season, even though we have been the smaller team in each game. I’m proud that our guys have stuck together and figured out a way to execute and do the things we needed to do at the right times. They have consistently brought effort, and their attitudes have been great. Now we just need to get back to work, and find ways to be more consistent for an entire game!! But they showed so much in a really tough shootout, against some really good teams, to start the season.”
Riverdale beat Bureau Valley 67-56 earlier in the evening to win the Turkey Tip-Off round robin tournament going 3-0. EP went 2-1, Rock Falls was 1-2 and Bureau Valley ended 0-3.
The 2-1 Panthers will host Kewanee on Friday.
