The Pekin Panthers pulled off a major upset on Monday, December 8th, defeating No. 6-ranked Montezuma 70-67 in a thrilling Class 1A showdown. The victory moved Pekin to 2-1 on the season while handing the previously unbeaten Braves their first loss, dropping them to 2-1.
Game Recap
Pekin trailed 13-5 early in the first quarter before mounting a comeback. The Panthers scored seven points in the final 80 seconds of the opening frame to take a 19-17 lead. Pekin exploded in the second quarter, outscoring Montezuma 24-14 to build a commanding 43-31 halftime advantage. The Braves managed just three scorers in the first half, with Brady Boulton accounting for 21 points.
The Panthers extended their lead to 56-42 after three quarters before Montezuma mounted a furious fourth-quarter rally. The Braves outscored Pekin 25-15 in the final frame, but the Panthers held on for the three-point victory.
Pekin Stats
Cole Millikin delivered a spectacular performance, leading all Panthers with 36 points, including 24 in the first half. He shot 6-of-9 from three-point range and 8-of-9 from the free-throw line in a scoring duel with Montezuma’s Boulton, who finished with a game-high 42 points.
Alijah Brock recorded a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Nolan Glick added seven points and a team-high 14 rebounds. Henry Adam contributed eight points, eight rebounds, and four assists. Riley Smith chipped in six points, and Carson Comstock added three points.
Coach’s Perspective
Pekin head coach John Swanson was thrilled with his team’s performance against the highly-ranked opponent.
“Great team win tonight. Bench guys played important roles for us. I believe Montezuma was ranked sixth in Class 1A as well. Big road win for the program,” Swanson said.
The victory marked a significant bounce-back for the Panthers after their loss in the conference to No. 12-ranked WACO in their previous outing.
Pekin (2-1) will now prepare for conference action when they travel to Louisa-Muscatine on Friday, December 12th.
