It was two lopsided games for the Knoxville basketball Squads last night and two opposite results against Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont heard live on 95.3 KNIA. In the girls game, the Panthers found themselves down big to the class 2A #1 ranked Rockets 19-0 and the deficit increased from there with the Panthers falling 69-23. Knoxville was able to get a few things going in the 2nd half that Coach Matt Ritchhart liked, but his team was too far behind to make a dent in EBF’s lead. Hannah Dunkin scored 12 points to lead Knoxville. The boys was the exact opposite of the girls as the class 3A #6 Panthers routed the winless Rockets 75-24. A bit of a slow start allowed Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont to stay close for the first 8:00 but a 25-0 2nd quarter by Knoxville put any doubt to rest. Landen Norris had 22 points for pace the Panthers, but the star of the game was Drake Larson, who scored 17 points and frustrated the Rockets with his defense. Coach Joel Keady told KNIA/KRLS Sports Larson usually draws the other team’s best athlete and coupled with his improved offense, he is becoming a complete player.

Keady: “He’s picking up the ball full court all the time. He’s taking on the challenge of guarding the other team’s best player, and that wears him out, but he’s still making a lot of offense.”

The girls are now 2-7, 2-5 in South Central Conference play while the boys improve to 7-0 and 5-0 in the conference. Both teams step out of conference play Monday to welcome Pella Christian into Panther Gym.