PINCKNEYVILLE -- Friday night may have seen rain falling outside of Duster Thomas Gymnasium, but nothing was going to dampen the magnitude of the battle that took place between two legendary rivals—the Pinckneyville Panthers and Nashville Hornets.

Always an inferno ready to erupt as soon as the ball is tipped, both teams having a top five ranking in both the IHSS and AP polls added the fuel that got this fire going.  Having something to prove after losing to the Panthers in the sectional finals last season, the Hornets knew Friday’s contest would be their chance to throw a wrench into the plans of Pinckneyville’s return trip to Peoria.

More than just a battle for pride, bragging rights, or a conference lead, this game would be one that is looked back upon when sectional seeding meetings later this month.  A win for either team would likely guarantee a number one seed.

For this to happen the Hornets would need a big game out of 6-foot-7 Northern Iowa signee Lucas O’Rear and their four three-point threats, while the Panthers would need their usual effort out of Kyle Cassity, Zach Hawkins, Hayden Hicks and company.  Both teams kept this game closely contested until the Panthers had a scoring drought that lasted more than two minutes in the fourth quarter. 

Unable to contain the inside scoring threat that is O’Rear by trying to guard him one-on-one, the Panthers found themselves losing ground quickly to the Hornets late in the fourth quarter.  A three-pointer by Hayden Hicks with a little over 42 seconds left in the game ended the scoring drought, but it was too little too late as O’Rear finished with 25 points and 12 rebounds in a 48-41 Nashville victory.

Hayden Hicks and Zach Hawkins finished with 10 points for Pinckneyville (14-3), while Nashville (17-0) relied heavily on O’Rear’s game high 25 as well as their 12-for-15 free throw shooting in the fourth quarter.

Nashville vs. Pinckneyville - thread packed with pre-game happenings, events of historical significance, score updates, postgame reaction and MORE--like only IHSS members can deliver!

Chris Kays Photo set

Nashville’s Lucas O’Rear splits the Pinckneyville defense en route to two points and what would become the lead of the SIRR-Mississippi.  O’Rear had 25 points to lead the Hornets to a 5-0 conference record and 17-0 overall.