Pana girls SCC undefeated champs
(PIASA) — The Pana Panthers girls basketball team have won the South Central Conference championship with a 53-17 win at Piasa Southwestern on Thursday night. The girls finish their SCC schedule 7-0. They finish the season 29-1 overall with the post- season beginning Monday.
Pana’s 29 wins is second- best in school history. The 2002-03 team, which finished as state runner-up, hold the best-ever record with 32 wins. This year’s edition of the Panthers, so far, have the fewest number of losses in school history since the sport was introduced in the 1979-80 season.
Senior Jillian Hamilton led the way with 20 points for the Panthers. Jadyn Bearup had 7 points and Anna Beyers finished with 6. Both Rachel Holthaus, Lainey Hicks and Chloe Ashcraft finished with 4 points apiece and Ellie Kuhn and Aryn Alde scored 3 points each. Rounding out the scoring was Kiley Ladage with 2 points.
The Panthers took control of the game early, going up 21-2 after the first period. It was a 34-6 halftime lead for Pana. After three quarters, the lead ballooned to 46-11.
At the free throw line, Pana was 10-of-14, 71% and Piasa was 6-for-10 at the stripe, 60%. Junior MaCaylin Day led Piasa with 6 points, going 6-for-6 at the free throw line.
Pana awaits the winner of the Shelbyville-Monticello game on Saturday at the Arthur Regional to find out who will be their next opponent. Pana, seeded first in the regional and is the third ranked team in Illinois Class 2A girls basketball, will meet that team at 6:00 p.m., Monday, Feb. 14, in the Arthur High School gym.
