The Russellville Panthers advanced to the next round of the Fourth Region Class A Classic Monday by hitting free throws in overtime and getting great contributions from the bench. Coach Phil Todd’s team beat visiting 78-72 in overtime.

The Panthers hit 8 of 10 free throws in the extra period, led by Pedro Bradshaw’s 5 of 6 accuracy. He went 7 of 8 at the line for the game.

Reserve DeShawn Mason hit three goals in the OT on the way to 15 points. Before that, another sub, Elijah Kemp, had a tremendous fourth quarter, hitting his third 3-pointer of the game and seven total points in the period. Kemp tied Bradshaw for team scoring honors with 17 points.

A fourth double-figure scorer was sophomore Jacob Naylor, who went 4 for 4 at the line and scored 10 points.

The Panthers needed all that after falling way behind in the early going. The Bulldogs led 26-15 after a quarter and 42-33 at halftime. Had it not been for the seven points RHS center Shon Kees scored in the first quarter and the 6 each Jaylyn McMurry and Kemp scored in the second, the margin would have been much bigger. Clinton County held Bradshaw to 4 points in the first half.

CCHS’ Jamison Summers led all scorers with 22 points. Teammate John Dais hit a pair of 3-pointers in the overtime, and Brett Gibson, who sank a trio of 3-pointers in the first quarter, got his fifth long-range goal to fall in the OT. Nine of Clinton County’s 11 points in the extra period came on treys.