Playing against quality competition in a big-city setting, the Russellville Panthers went 1-2 in the Blue Devils Invitational at Henry Clay High School in Lexington this week.
As previously reported on The LoJo, the Panthers were outscored 90-79 Tuesday by High Point Christian of North Carolina in their opener. See http://www.theloganjournal.com/Stories.aspx?Article=sports899
Tuesday, Coach Phil Todd’s team beat Belfry 76-67. Earlier this month, Belfry won its fourth straight Class 3A state football championship.
Then Wednesday, the Panthers lost 62-52 host Henry Clay, one of Kentucky’s historically most successful athletic programs.
Russellville 76, Belfry 67
Pedro Bradshaw scored 19 points while three teammates—Jaylin McMurry and the Naylor brothers, Micah and Jacob—added 14 each. Micah hit two 3-pointers while Jacob and Shon Kees hit one each from long range.
Russellville led by from one to three points in each of the first three quarters before taking the final stanza 22-15 with a balanced attack.
Securing the win became difficult because the Panthers were uncharacteristically inconsistent at the foul line. They finished 14 of 26 there, while Belfry was 5 of 7.
Bradshaw had 16 rebounds, 6 steals and 3 assists to go along with his 19 points. McMurry added 4 assists.
The Panthers committed only 7 turnovers, as compared to Belfry’s 17.
Isiah Robles scored 17, Cameron Craton 16, and Austin Woolum and Devin Yarney 12 each for Belfry.
Henry Clay 62, RHS 52
The Blue Devils led 33-23 at the half, and the Panthers played them even the second half.
Bradshaw scored 8 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter, but his teammates managed only 4 other points in the period. Jacob Naylor was the only other Panther in double figures with 10. DeShawn Mason was 4 for 4 at the line for the game, but the rest of the team went 6 of 10.
The Panthers kept sending the Blue Devils to the foul line in the fourth quarter, trying to catch up. Henry Clay was 9 of 15 in free throw shooting for the quarter.
Bradshaw, who was one of the state’s top rebounders last year, pulled down an astounding 25 boards in this game. Micah Naylor and Paul Jones were tied for second with 4 each. Bradshaw also had 5 assists.
The 25 rebounds in a game ties the Panther record set by Hall of Famer Forrest Killebrew against the Chandlers Bears during the 1974-75 season, according to RHS sports historian Greg Owens.
Quentyn Jackson scored 15 points and had 8 rebounds for the winners. Justin Mitchell scored 13 and Harris Hawkins 10.