Taylorville jumped out to a 9-0 lead and didn’t allow a field goal until 4:34 in the second quarter as the Tornadoes defeated the Pana Panthers 57-42. What started off with a trip to the Christian County Coal Mining Museum, ended with taking the trophy home for Taylorville as they took an early 15-8 lead courtesy of Blake Ladage who dropped 8 points, Malique Pearse who dropped 3 and Brock Brown who added 4. The Pana Panthers would see 8 free throws (6 from Easton Malisia and 2 from Cash Lynch).
Pana would finally get a field goal at the 4:34 mark on a second chance layup from Cash Lynch and Easton Malisia would follow up with a 3 to cut the deficit to 15-13 but Taylorville would get points from Maddex Havera, Blake Ladage, and Brock Brown as the Tornadoes extended their lead 24-20 to head into the locker room.
Coming into the third quarter, the Tornadoes changed up their defense slightly and Brock Brown came to life, as he added 8 points including a three point play, Wyatt Younker, playing in relief of Pearse who got into foul trouble early, also contributed four points. Malisia added two 3 pointers but Taylorville extended their lead 40-29 going into the fourth outscoring the Panthers 16-9.
In the fourth quarter, Taylorville continued their assault as Ladage added in 7, Pearse contributed 5, and Brown had 3. Pana saw multiple point contributions from Cash Lynch, Tucker Beyers, Micah Meadows, Malisia and Jax Cjaikowski. Taylorville ultimately hung onto the lead and pulled away with a 17-13 run to give the Tornadoes a 57-42 win and the Coal Miners Trophy for yet another year.
Blake Ladage was named the WTIM Nicole Patrick Country Financial Player of the Game.
Leading point scorers: Taylorville Blake Ladage 21, Brock Brown 17, Malique Pearse 8, Maddex
Havera 5. Pana: Easton Malisia 20, Cash Lynch 13, Jax Cjaikowski 3.
Taylorville 5/8 from the free throw line, Pana 16/20 FTs.
1 QT 2QT 3QT 4QT F
Taylorville 15 9 16 17 57
Pana 8 12 9 13 42
