The Knoxville Basketball Squads came away with a sweep on Panthers vs. Cancer Night to keep the Kings and Queens of Highway 14 trophies at home for another year as heard on 95.3 KNIA. The girls made a near miraculous comeback from 12 points down in the 4th quarter to stun Chariton 50-38. The Panthers were trailing 35-23 with 7:00 remaining and proceeded to outscore Chariton 27-3 the rest of the way. Coach Matt Ritchhart told KNIA/KRLS Sports his lone senior Charlee Heffron came alive in the 4th quarter to spur the win.

Ritchhart: “She played like a senior in the 4th quarter, got tons and steals and rebounds. He didn’t do anything with our half-court offense, it was mainly transition. Charlee really stepped up big in that 4th quarter.”

Brittany Bacorn led the Panthers with 15 points, Heffron scored all six of her points in the 4th quarter. The boys, after an early slow start, rolled to an 84-65 win over Chariton. After starting the game in a 4-0 hole, the Panthers ended the 1st quarter on a 22-4 run and never allowed Chariton back in the game. Noah Keefer led the Panthers with 19 points, ten each from Connor Willis and Kaiden Smith off the bench. The girls are now 9-5 on the season and are now in 3rd place in the South Central Conference with a 6-3 record while the boys advance to 3-10 and 3-6 in the SCC. The Panthers are back in action Tuesday at home against Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont.