Russellville outscored visiting Glasgow 10-4 in the last two minutes of their All A regional game Monday, but the Panthers’ comeback wasn’t quite enough. The Scotties escaped with a 65-62 win.
The game had been close much of the way, although the Scotties never trailed after the midpoint of the first quarter.
Glasgow seemed to have the win in control when Jackson Poland’s 3-point play built the margin to nine with about two minutes to go. But the Panthers’ Chevis Elliott hit two straight shots and Jovari Gamble scored after making a steal. Xavier Coleman’s bucket with 1:05 cut the visitors’ lead to 62-60.
Poland hit a pair of free throws to make the margin four with 39.6 seconds remaining. Coleman, who scored 17 points, cut the lead to two again with 22.1 seconds. Then former Panther John Carter Myers, who had spent most of the game on the bench in foul trouble, hit a free throw for Glasgow with 16.5 seconds.
Russellville had a chance to tie after that, but Coach James Willett’s defense made it difficult for the Panthers to get off a shot. Gamble got a 3-pointer up as time ran out, but it didn’t go in and Glasgow won by three.
At the midpoint of the second quarter, Glasgow had gone up 20-10. But two Panthers came to life. Layne Steele and Lennon Ries each scored eight points the rest of the quarter. Steele hit a pair of 3-pointers, and Ries controlled the inside. He made a strong move to the basket on one, scored the next on a rebound, took advantage of a Coleman assist, and connected on a bucket at the buzzer.
Glasgow led 32-27 at the half.
In the first minute of the second half, Elliott and Gamble cut the lead to two, and Glasgow’s Myers—a starter who had gotten two fouls early in the game—drew his third and fourth fouls.
Russellville’s Todd, who sat out the first quarter, hit a 3-pointer and a 2-pointer consecutively, cut the lead to one at 38-37. Glasgow scored the next nine points, and the back-and-forth runs began.
The Scotties hit 17 of 23 free throws and Russellville 13 od 17. The Scotties were 6 of 12 from long range and the Panthers 5 of 13. Both teams were at the 50 percent level on two-pointers.
Because of good shooting, there weren’t many rebounds. Glasgow had 28 and the Panthers 22. Ashton Cerwinske of GHS dominated with 13 boards. For RHS, Josh Allen had 7 and Todd 5.
Sam Bowling tied Coleman for game scoring honors with 17. Brennan Short, who hit a trio of 3-pointers, added 15 and Poland 13.
Coleman hit all of five of his 2-point shots and all four of his free throws.
Score by Quarters: 1) Glasgow 17-10, 2) 32-27, 3) 51-42, Final) Glasgow 65, Russellville 62
GHS (65) Sam Bowling 17, Brennan Short 15, Jackson Poland 13, Aston Cerwinske 9, Javon Clark 6, John Myers 3, Trey Brown, Clay Pippen, Landen Houchens
RHS (62) Xavier Coleman 17, Jaquis Todd 12, Layne Steele 8, Lennon Ries 8, Chevin Elliott 7, Kendahl Edmonds 4, Jovari Gamble 4, Jackson Hampton 2, Josh Allen