The Pekin girls basketball team relied on exceptional defense to overcome a difficult shooting night, defeating Winfield-Mt. Union 36-25 on Tuesday, January 6th for their second meeting. Pekin took the first win of the series 53-28 back in the season opener on November 25th. The victory improved the Lady Panthers to 5-4 overall and in conference play, while the Wolves fell to 1-10 overall and 0-9 in the conference.
Game Recap
Pekin dominated the opening quarter, building a 9-0 lead and shutting out Winfield-Mt. Union completely. The Panthers extended their advantage to 14-0 before the Wolves finished the half on an 8-1 run to cut the deficit to 15-8 at intermission.
The low-scoring affair continued in the second half, with Pekin leading 25-20 after three quarters before pulling away for the 11-point victory.
Pekin Stats
Starters:
Abby Guise led Pekin with 16 points and 15 rebounds, scoring 10 of her points in the second half. She also added one assist and two steals. Anna Hadley contributed 11 points and eight rebounds, with eight of her points coming after halftime. She also recorded one assist, two steals, and one block.
Carlie Gambell delivered an outstanding defensive performance with three points, eight rebounds, one assist, seven steals, and two blocks. Ezra Parsons also excelled defensively with two points, four rebounds, one assist, and six steals. Maddy Petrehn contributed three points, two rebounds, four assists, and two steals.
Bench:
Mya Glick added one point. Taylor Moore grabbed three rebounds. Addison Smith recorded one steal. Kendra Schultz contributed one rebound and one steal.
As a team, Pekin struggled offensively, shooting 16-of-68 from the field, 1-of-14 from three-point range, and 3-of-12 from the free-throw line. However, the Lady Panthers dominated the glass with 41 rebounds and forced turnovers with 21 steals and three blocks. Pekin committed 20 turnovers and was called for 18 fouls.
Coach’s Perspective
Pekin head coach Neil Hartz praised his team’s defensive effort and resilience on a night when shots weren’t falling.
“I thought we played really good. Just one of those nights the shot didn’t fall, and our defense was really good. We had to grind out a win,” Hartz said. “Very happy and proud of their effort and how far we have come since day one.”
The Lady Panthers’ 21 steals and ability to limit Winfield-Mt. Union to just 25 points showcased the defensive intensity that carried them to victory despite shooting just 23.5% from the field.
Pekin (5-4, 5-4 conference) will be back in action at home for a conference rematch against Wapello on Friday, January 9th. The Lady Panthers took the first match 42-36 back on December 2nd.
Photography courtesy of the Pekin Lady Panthers Basketball Facebook page.
