Strong third quarter pushes Savages past Pekin

SIGOURNEY – The last three plays before halftime proved to be the difference.

With less than a minute to go before halftime Sigourney’s Ike Molyneux was able to steal the ball away from Pekin and put the uncontested layup in for two points, pulling the Savages within two of the Panthers, 26-24. 

After a missed Pekin shot Molyneux was able to get the ball back and take another shot from inside the key. This shot fell through the netting to tie the game with 15 seconds late. 

Pekin was setting up another shot when Isaac Bruns from Sigourney was able to steal the ball and help the Savages set up a play. 

Bruns would drive into the lane and go for a layup. He was fouled along the way. He was able to make both shots.

The Savages had the lead, and they would never let go in an eventual 59-49 victory. 

That effort to take the lead just before half seemed to be a small glimpse on what was about to come. 

“We have some slow starts this year and that’s something we are trying to remedy, but at halftime I told the guys they should be really happy with a lead,” said Sigourney head coach Mitch Eslick. “I liked our defense in the last 20 minutes of the game. We took away (Nolan) Glick from Pekin which helped us in the second half.”

With their defense starting to work well, the third quarter turned into an all around basketball clinic for the Savages. At times they were able to take control with several mini runs of four or six points that helped the Savages secure the lead. 

One of the main focuses for the Savages in the second half was to keep the ball out of the hands of Nolan Glick from Pekin. In the first half, especially the first quarter, Glick had torched the Savages with his inside shooting ability. 

“In the first half we didn’t miss a lot and we did a better job controlling the rebounding,” Pekin boys basketball coach John Swanson said. “In the second half, at times, we got a little too stagnant and we were watching the plays a little too much. Sigourney has played in some tight games this year, and we haven’t really been in the same situations.”

The Savages continued to add to their lead in a third quarter as they continued to catch the Panthers watching the game a few too many times. 

Although the Savages were able to increase their lead over 20 points, Pekin was quick to react each time. 

The Panthers spread the ball around, especially in the second half as players like Cole Millikin and Henry Adam were able to reel the score in.

Sigourney was reactive as well in the second half. After scoring 22 points in the third quarter the Savages were limited to just nine points in the fourth quarter, but that was still enough to hold onto the 10-point victory. 

“I am proud of our kids for not giving in and fighting back like they did,” Swanson said. “It just wasn’t enough tonight. Sigourney made a great run out of the locker room and we could never catch up.”

For the Savages the win on Saturday afternoon is one that will help get the Savages back on track. 

After starting the new year with two narrow defeats against two of the top teams in the conference, the Savages have won back-to-back games.

“Pekin is a really good basketball team that is very well coached.” Eslick said. “For us to come away with a double-digit victory is a really good victory for our team.”

John Berg led Sigourney with 14 points in the victory. He added 16 rebounds as well. 

Ike Molyneux would finish with 15 points. Isaac Bruns added 12 points in the win.

Brayden Wood finished with nine points. Solon Yates added six points in the win. Landon Conrad finished with three points. 

Pekin was led unofficially by Glick with 16 points. Henry Adam added 13 points. Cole Millikin finished with eight points while Will Adam added seven points. 

Kasey Davis added two points. 

The Savages stand at 6-4 on the season. Pekin is 6-5 overall this year.