Hail Pikeville!!!
Pikeville is back in the boys’ Elite Eight for the first time since beating John Hardin in triple overtime in 2018 after the Panthers outlasted North Laurel, 59-51, in the final game of the opening session of the boys’ Sweet 16 played before a crowd of 12,206 fans at Rupp Arena on Wednesday night.
The Panthers, now 32-2, used a first half run of 18-0 to erase a six-point deficit and then answered with 13-0 run in the third period after North Laurel closed to within two to put the Jaguars in the rear-view mirror for good.
Pikeville’s defense held Kentucky commit Reed Sheppard to just 14 points and the 51 total was their second lowest output all season.
Rylee Samons led Pikeville with 23 points and eight rebounds while Nick Robinson finished with a double-double, scoring 14 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. Keian Worrix followed with 12 points and six assists.
The Panthers will face top-ranked George Rogers Clark in the quarterfinals at 1:30 pm on Friday. The Cardinals advanced with a victory over Perry County Central.
At Lexington
(Sweet 16 Tournament)
SCORE BY QUARTERS:
PK (32-2)…10 15 19 15 – 59
NL (28-6)…13 7 9 22 –51
Scoring:
Pikeville (59) – Tate Walters 2 1-1 5; Nick Robinson 6 2-4 14; Laithan Hall 0(1) 0-1 3; Keian Worrix 3(2) 0-0 12; Rylee Samons 5(4) 1-3 23; and Heath Jarrell 0 2-2 2. Totals: 16(7) 6-11 59.
North Laurel (51) – Ryan Davidson 11 1-3 23; Caden Harris 0 2-2 2; Reed Sheppard 4(1) 3-5 14; Clay Sizemore 0(2) 0-0 Brody Brock 0(1) 0-0 3; and Chase Dotson 0(1) 0-0 3. Totals: 15(5) 6-10 51.
Next up: Pikeville (32-2) vs George Rogers Clark (34-1), Elite 8, Rupp Arena, 1:30 pm, March 18.