The class 3A #3 ranked Knoxville Boys Basketball Squad endured a slow start but heated up to dominate Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont on Tuesday night 87-29 while the girls got down big in the 1st half and fell to the class 2A #1 ranked Rockets 72-41, both games heard live on 95.3 KNIA. The boys struggled in the opening minutes to hit shots, but defense kept EBF from going on a run, and after the Panthers found their offensive footing, blew the doors off the Rockets in the middle two quarters 46-13. The Panthers put four players in double figures led by Lincoln Norris with 25, Drake Larson had 21, Landon Norris with 17 and Kaiden Smith with 13 points. The girls started off well on defense keeping close to the top ranked Rockets, but EBF gained some distance in the 2nd quarter to get a 21 point halftime lead. Knoxville again shot the ball well from long range, hitting on seven. Coach Matt Ritchhart told KNIA/KRLS Sports, he liked the effort of his team even in a lopsided loss.

Ritchhart: “I can’t ask any more from the. There’s slips which is expected to a good team like Eddyville, but I told the girls I was proud of them and probably had the most fun losing by 30.”

Addy Dunkin led the Panthers with 12 points. Knoxville girls fall to 4-14 on the season and 4-9 in the South Central Conference while the boys are 16-0 and 13-0 in conference, clinching at least a share of the conference title with a chance to win it outright against Albia as part of a double header Friday on Hall of Fame Induction Night.

Photo from Ryan Northcote