The Knoxville Basketball Squads won one and lost one to Centerville on Friday night as the girls used lock down defense to breeze by the Reddetts 66-27 and the boys could not overcome a slow start and fell 66-45 heard live on 95.3 KNIA. The girls, again somewhat shorthanded, played what could be called their best defensive effort of the season limiting Centerville to just ten points at the half, and inducing running clock in the fourth quarter. Coach Jim Uitermarkt told KRLS Sports he was really happy with the Panther’s defense.

Uitermarkt:
“That was an incredible defensive performance, hands down the best this year. Some of the things we work on things those were there all night. That end of the court was tremendous.”

After some early offensive struggles, Katie Keitges scored 28 points for the Panthers and Maggie Wilkins scored 27. Knoxville also clinched at least a share of the South Central Conference title needing only to beat Albia on Tuesday to win it outright. The boys played a step slow all game and found themselves down 20-6 early on and never recovered. Centerville was able to get inside several times to score easy baskets. Kieren Nichols finished with 22 points to lead the Panthers. Nichols’s 22 points put him within eight of being the fourth boys basketball player in Knoxville history to reach 1,000 career points. The Panthers travel to Albia on Tuesday in a must win to keep any hope of the conference title alive.