Clutch when it counts

ROCKFORD - During Parkway's six-game losing streak, the Panthers have led in a number of games but were unable to hold on for the win.

Tuesday night against Celina, the Panthers saw a double-digit lead dwindle to six in the final three minutes. This time, Parkway held tough and ended the game on an 8-0 run to defeat the Bulldogs 47-33 at Panther Gymnasium, snapping the Panthers' skid and extending Celina's to four straight.

"I thought we grinded that one out," said Parkway coach Doug Hughes. "Celina kept coming and did a real good job."

Parkway (2-6) jumped out to a 7-0 lead, as Celina needed four minutes to get its first points on the board. The Bulldogs scrapped their way back into the game, but the Panthers came up with big plays to pull away whenever the Bulldogs got within two possessions.

Both teams tried to limit the other's strengths. For Parkway, that was keeping Celina big man Josh Rasawehr in check. Rasawehr had eight of the Bulldogs' 13 first-half points, but solid help-side defense kept his field goal tries down to just eight in the contest.

"We faced (St. Marys big man Austin) Parks on Saturday and Rasawehr tonight," said Hughes. "They're both really nice players. Rasawehr could hurt us two ways: backing us down in the post and then on the boards. We said we'd dig on the dribble down in the post, but have to make sure to box him out and don't let him get the easy rebounds."

Celina tried to keep close eyes on Caden Slusher, who over the weekend became Parkway's all-time leading 3-point shooter. The senior guard had a bit of a struggle, but the Panthers countered with big-man Gabe Schaaf. Schaaf had 10 points in the first half as Parkway jumped out to a 24-13 halftime lead.

Celina tried to make inroads in the Panther lead through the third quarter and began to find a groove early in the fourth quarter after the Panthers were up 37-24 less than two minutes into the final stanza. Rasawehr, who had just three points in the third quarter, was 3-of-5 from the floor in the fourth and Quinn Andrew hit a bucket with 3:09 to play in regulation that got Celina to within a pair of 3-pointers at 39-33.

"I think we turned the corner on Saturday against Marion," said Celina coach Adam Johns. "It's not easy to play three games in five days. Effort was there. We gave ourselves a chance."

Then Slusher came up with what Hughes thought was his best play of the night as he drove the lane and kicked the ball out to Schaaf in the corner for a 3-pointer with 2:21 left to make it a nine-point game. Fletcher Smith and Slusher then hit a combined five of six free throws in the final 52.1 seconds to ice the game.

"He made probably the biggest play of the night when he drove and got all the attention on him and kicked it to Gabe for the wide-open three," said Hughes. "Gabe was fabulous tonight. He made a lot of big plays in big moments."

"We got back into it," said Johns. "At one point we missed the front end of a one-and-one. Sometimes that's as back-breaking as missing a layup. Have the opportunity for a couple of free points at the foul line, then knock in a couple of shots. We got to within six. Shot goes in, we've got it to three and things are rolling."

Schaaf finished with a game-high 24 points and pulled down 11 rebounds. Slusher struggled with his 3-point shooting, going 2-of-10, but still finished with 16 points.

Rasawehr had a dominant night inside, finishing with 17 points and 16 rebounds. Andrew added seven.

Both teams will play in invitational tournaments over the Christmas holiday break. Parkway travels to North Central High School in Pioneer Dec. 28 and 29 for the JJ Winns Tournament. Celina makes the short trek to Coldwater for the annual Assets Allocation Associates Holiday Classic next Tuesday, facing Marion Local in the 7:30 p.m. semifinal.