If the Russellville Panthers’ 2013-14 season turns out better than expected, we may look back on the final full week of 2013 as the turning point. Coach Phil Todd’s team had struggled in its first eight games, losing seven of them, with that lone victory coming narrowly over winless Todd Central.
The last three games of December, however, found the Panthers not only playing twice against outstanding competition, but winning two of those games as well.
In the process, they finished third among eight teams in the First Southern National Bank Christmas Classic, which had one of its deepest fields ever.
Thursday RHS played with precision in beating a Caldwell County that is infinitely taller than the victors. Coach Daniel Kuhahiko’s Tigers feature 6-8 junior Eli Pepper and 6’5 classmate Elijah Sindelar, who would be an outstanding college basketball prospect if he weren’t the overall first team all-state quarterback being targeted reportedly by every SEC team, including Alabama.
In a 71-61 win over the tall Tigers, seniors Christian Naylor and Barrett Croslin each scored 18 points, Lee McMurry and Pedro Rivera 13 each, and Ricky Bellamy 8. Pepper scored 20 in the loss.
Next came a less-than-stellar Panther outing against University Heights Academy in the semifinals. The Panthers stayed close much of the first half, but then fell out of contention in an 81-55 loss. UHA, which won the Classic championship over Clarksville Northwest Saturday, has seven players listed at 6-3 or above. The Blazers appear to be back in contention form.
Trey Hollowell, a 6-3 freshman guard, led the Blazers against RHS with 23 points while reserve Haji Wisdom—who is built like an offensive lineman at a non-football school—added 15. Croslin scored 16 for Russellville with McMurry adding 10 and Bellamy and Rivera 8 each.
Saturday, however, the Panthers bounced back to beat a good Pickett County (Tennessee) team 77-72. The Bobcats had led most of the way Friday night before losing in overtime to Northwest. Russellville was an underdog in this game, but outscored Pickett 29-16 in the fourth quarter to capture the third-place trophy.
The Panthers won by hitting free throws, especially in that final period. Todd’s team hit 27 of 32 foul shots for the game, including 19 of 24 in the last eight minutes. Rivera was 8 for 9 for the game, including 6 for 6 in the final stanza. Also in that quarter, Christian Naylor went 5 of 6 and his brother Micah 5 of 8 with Croslin going 3 of 4.
The Panthers hit six 3-pointers, half of them by Christian Naylor. Croslin canned two from long range and McMurry got the other. Two of Naylor’s came in the second quarter to keep RHS from falling too far behind.
The Bobcats responded with seven treys, six of them by Taylor Edwards, who finished with a game-high 24 points. Peyton Garrett scored 12 and John Michael Ferrell 10 in the loss.
For the Panthers, McMurry scored 18 for the game, but had a quiet fourth quarter. Croslin finished with 17, Christian Naylor 16, and Rivera and Michael Naylor 12 each.
Russellville is very young. Seniors Croslin and Christian Naylor and junior McMurry have been the only ones playing with previous varsity experience. Bellamy is a sophomore while Micah Naylor, Rivera and Jaylin McMurry are freshmen. The only other guy seeing much action is sophomore Jason Mitchell.
In addition to the three older players getting football out of their system and the young ones gaining experience, the Panthers are expected to get a lift in the next few days from the return of Coco Darden, a rugged defender and capable point guard who underwent surgery in mid-December for a football knee injury.
The Panthers return to action next Friday at Logan County in a Clash of the Cats. The girls teams from both schools will play again that night. The Lady Cougars won with ease in the Classic third place game Saturday. That story is in a News Brief on The LoJo.