GREENCASTLE BOYS' BASKETBALL SECTIONAL: Wolves chow down on Panthers for third time

Sometimes a team is just bigger, stronger, and faster than an opponent. That was the case on Wednesday night at McAnally Center in the Class 2A Sectional No. 44 contest between the Parke Heritage Wolves and the Riverton Parke Panthers.

The Wolves exploded in the second half to take the contest 85-36 for their third victory over the Panthers this season.

The pressure defense applied by the Wolves forced 26 Riverton Parke turnovers and led to several easy Parke Heritage buckets. Parke Heritage also pounded the Panthers on the boards to a 30-13 advantage.

Riverton Parke’s season ended with a 3-21 record. The Wolves improved to 20-5 and will take on the host Greencastle Tiger Cubs on Friday night.

The Panthers stayed in the game early on the strength of Carson Cox knocking down a pair of three-pointers in the first quarter.

Parke Heritage’s Renn Harper answered for the Wolves with 10 first-quarter points. The junior got to the rim at will and Max Dowd complemented him with five points. Parke Heritage led 19-11 at the end of the first quarter.

The Wolves began to stretch their lead in the second quarter as the pressure defense began to wear on the Panthers.

Parke Heritage opened the second period with a 12-3 run as Harper had five more points during the stretch.

Riverton Parke was only able to manage four field goal attempts in the quarter as the size and physical play of the Wolves kept forcing Panther turnovers.

Brayden Luce added a dagger for the Wolves as he hit a buzzer-beating three-pointer to end the half as Parke Heritage led 36-19 at the intermission.

Riverton Parke just could not get the ball anywhere near the basket in the third quarter. The Wolves turned them over nine times and exploded for 28 points in the third period.

Parke Heritage scored the first 22 points in the quarter before the Panthers got a bucket with 1:41 left in the third quarter. That lead led to a running clock and the bucket was the only one that Riverton Parke would get in the period as the Wolves would lead 64-21 heading into the final stanza.

The fourth quarter was a mix of substitutions and a running clock as the Wolves advanced by increasing the score to 85-36 for the final.

Dowd led all scorers with 20 points for the Wolves. Harper added 15 and Kyle Harpold chipped in with 10. Cox led the Panthers with 12 points.

Parke Heritage and Greencastle will play the second semifinal on Friday night following the Southmont and North Putnam contest.

PARKE HERITAGE (85) – Dowd 8-11 1-1 20, Harper 6-11 2-2 15, Luce 3-5 2-2 9, Schelsky 0-3 2-2 2, Crum 2-2 1-2 5, Goins 2-5 4-4 8, Harpold 4-5 2-2 10, McMullen 4-7 0-1 8, McCalister 1-1 0-0 2, Brown 3-3 0-0 6, Kelly 0-0 0-2 0, Mathis 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 33-53 FG, 14-18 FT, 85 TP.

RIVERTON PARKE (36) – Sanders 0-2 2-2 2, Robins 2-7 0-0 5, Cox 4-5 0-0 12, Ben Todd 0-2 0-0 0, McDonald 1-4 0-0 2, Blake Todd 0-1 0-0 0, Belcher 0-0 0-0 0, Vester 0-0 3-4 3, Hopkins 3-6 1-1 9, Robertson 1-3 0-0 3, Collom 0-1 0-0 0, Roberts 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 11-32 FG, 6-7 FT, 36 TP.

3-point shooting –PH 5-17 (Dowd 3-5, Harper 1-3, Luce 1-3, Schelsky 0-2, Goins 0-3, Harpold 0-1), RP 8-18 (Sanders 0-1, Robertson 1-2, Robins 1-4, Cox 4-4, Hopkins 2-4, McDonald 0-1, Roberts 0-1, Blake Todd 0-1), Rebounds –PH 30 (Dowd 4, Harper 2, McCalister 1, Luce 1, Brown 3, Schelsky 3, Kelly 1, Crum 6, Goins 2, Harpold 5, McMullen 1), RP – 13 (Sanders 1, Robertson 1, Robins 1, Cox 2, Ben Todd 1, Hopkins 2, McDonald 1, Blake Todd 1, Belcher 1) FG Pct. – PH 62.3, RP 34.4. FT Pct. – PH 77.8, RP 85.7. Turnovers – PH 5, RP 26.