Panthers Knock off Olivet in Finale
The Stockbridge basketball team played one of its best games of the season in the season finale and came away with a 48-37 win over Olivet Thursday night spoiling any chance of a GLAC title for the Eagles along the way.
The Panthers used a strong start to take and early lead and were able to hold off the Eagles.
Jeremy Pilch scored eight first quarter points and Drew Philipp added four to help the Panthers take a 17-6 lead after one quarter.
Pilch would add four more in the second and the Panther defense kept clamps on Olivet and the Panthers would extend the lead to 26-13 at the half.
Olivet would get within ten, but Philipp would score five in the third and the Panthers would continue to pull away by leading 41-23 after three.
Noah Robidou would score five points and the Panthers hit four of six from the line in the fourth to seal the win.
Pilch finished with a team high 18 points, while Philipp added 12. Robidou finished with ten points, Riley Kennedy four, Brock Jones and David Kluesner two each.
The Panthers dropped a tough one to Leslie earlier in the week.
Trailing 39-36 with seven seconds left the Panthers were fouled on a three-point attempt. They were only able to make one of three free throws to cut the lead to 39-37.
Leslie missed both free throws with four seconds left, but the Panthers could not get much of a shot off as time expired and the Blackhawks held on for the win.
The Panthers were just 8 of 24 from the line in the game.
Pilch led the Panthers with 17 points. Robidou, Philipp, and Kluesner scored six each, while Kennedy had two.
The Panthers beat Perry 58-39 on Monday,
Philipp led the Panthers with 22 points, while Pilch added 20. Robidou pitched in with eight, Kluesner and Kennedy three each, and Josh Casey two.
Stockbridge (8-8) will begin district play in Chelsea this week. They will face Chelsea (11-3) in the semifinals Thursday at 5:00 PM.
The other side of the bracket has Fowlerville (11-3) against Ann Arbor Gabriel Richard (6-9) with Williamston (9-2) awaiting the winner of this game in the semifinals.
