Panthers listen to words of wisdom, return to court energized in beating third straight Illinois opponent

QUINCY — Even though the Palmyra boys basketball team had opened the season by winning seven of its first eight games, a group of former players thought a few things were amiss.

So, they were granted permission to address the team during a Saturday practice, delivering a message that focused on improving in certain areas to achieve even greater success on the court and uphold the tradition of the program.

“You know, kids listen to a coach and ‘yeah, yeah, OK, yeah, whatever,’ but when former teammates and players come in and say the exact same type of stuff, that this is what we see, this is what needs to change if you want to be great, to uphold the standard, I think that was huge,” Palmyra coach Brian Rea said.

“I think it helped. We took a step in the right direction. I think our attitude and effort were much better than they have been most of the season. Hopefully it can be something that they can draw upon the rest of the season.”

The Panthers certainly looked energized Saturday night in rolling to a 58-30 victory over Griggsville-Perry in the 17th Rumble on the River at John Wood Community College’s Student Activity Center.

They used their size and quickness advantage to break the Tornadoes’ 1-2-2 full-court defensive pressure early for either layups or 3-point baskets off half-court sets to bolt to a 22-11 first-quarter lead. A 15-4 run proved to be the difference.

They then took control inside on the offensive end, forced six turnovers and limited Griggsville-Perry to a lone basket in the second period to stretch the advantage to 34-13 at halftime.

The lead was 54-24 with a little more than five minutes remaining when the running clock was invoked and both teams emptied their benches.

Guard Mason Smith, who was named most valuable player after scoring a game-high 16 points, said players took the Saturday talk to heart.

“I think we let it soak in,” he said. “The little things is what it starts with, and that’s our biggest thing right now. We’re good offensively; we just need to do the little things that can get us to where we need to be. We had a really good attitude and a lot better effort.”

Hudson Bock scored 13 points as Palmyra shot 59 percent from the field and was 6-for-6 from the free-throw line to enter the Christmas break at 8-1 with its third straight victory over an Illinois school.

The Panthers defeated Quincy Notre Dame 66-58 Tuesday and held Mendon Unity to just 10 points and two made field goals in the second half Friday to break open a close game and pull away for a 64-45 win.

The interstate sweep was the perfect medicine after a disappointing loss as the top seed to the home school in the championship game of the Monroe City Tournament on Dec. 14.

“I don’t look at it like playing Illinois teams,” Rea said. “But it’s a good measuring stick when you come over here or they come over there and you can get wins. I think it gives you some credibility.

“We’re sitting in the same spot record-wise as we were last year (when they finished 25-2). Last year we lost the QND game and this time we lost the game before instead, then beat QND. I think we’re in the right position. We still have to keep working.”

Griggsville-Perry was playing without 6-foot-6 forward Logan Fencik, sidelined with a concussion, and started two sophomores and a freshman. The Tornadoes shot 30 percent from the field, missed 17 of 18 tries from 3-point range and made only 5 of 18 free-throw attempts to fall to 5-4.