Five different Panthers scored in a decisive second quarter Tuesday at Class A, Sectional 59 at Waldron High School to propel Knightstown to a 44-32 victory over Morristown.
The Panthers led 9-6 after one quarter then outscored the Yellow Jackets 19-6 in the second to build a 28-14 advantage.
Morristown put together a pair of 6-0 runs in the third quarter, but Knightstown had an answer each time and the lead never slipped under double digits.
Lilly Drew, Knightstown’s six-foot, two-inch forward, finished with 13 points and nine rebounds. Kayly Cline also scored 13 points and added three assists and two rebounds.
Jayla Keithley topped Morristown (10-11) with 10 points, four rebounds and three assists. Brooke Kuhn finished with nine points and two rebounds.
Morristown had just five made field goals in the opening half and took just two free throws. Trailing 30-14 early in the third quarter, Nadia Rude sank a baseline jumper to spark a Morristown run.
Kuhn followed with two more baskets to cut the deficit to 30-20 and forced a Knightstown timeout.
A Lexi Thomas free throw, a 3-point play by Drew and a floater in the lane from Cline quickly pushed the lead to 36-20.
Mykynzy Smith and Kuhn sank 3s at the other end and the lead dropped again to 10 but Grace Behny hit a corner 3 in the quarter’s final seconds for a 39-26 lead going into the final quarter.
Keithley opened the quarter with a drive and score, but the Yellow Jackets could put enough offense together to truly challenge the Panthers, who hit 5 of 6 free throws in the quarter.
Knightstown finished 13 of 19 from the free throw line while the Yellow Jackets only took five attempts.
Knightstown (15-7) will face Edinburgh (13-9) Friday at 6 p.m. in the first semifinal game of Sectional 59. The Panthers won the regular-season meeting on Dec. 6, 57-35.
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