The Knoxville Basketball escaped Davis County on Tuesday with victories as the girls won 64-52 and the boys survived a last second three to win 61-58 as heard on 95.3 KNIA. The girls, after a slow start in the first couple of minutes, took a tie game at eight and went on a 17-0 run to take control in the second quarter. The Mustangs would come back to get as close as nine points, but the Panthers were able to salt the game away at the free throw line. Coach Jim Uitermarkt told KRLS Sports with three girls in double figures, that takes the weight off of Maggie Wilkins.

Uitermarkt:
“We knew we needed that second leading scorer and the second game in a row with Tara in double digits. We know Maggie will get her points and she needs to score as much as she can, but we don’t want the weight of the world on her shoulders, so it’s god to see those kids putting up those points.”

Wilkins got 24 points but Emma Dunkin for the second straight game established a career high with 18 points, and Tara Uitermarkt scored 11 points. The boys game was close all the way with neither team leading by more than ten points. Early in the fourth quarter the Panthers surged ahead by ten only to have the Mustangs get back in it with threes of their own, but was unable to force overtime as a desperation three at the buzzer missed to preserve the Knoxville win. Knoxville’s Kieren Nichols scored 33 points to lead all scorers. The girls are 6-0 while the boys are 4-0 with both teams 3-0 in the South Central Conference. Knoxville returns home Friday to play Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont.