Panthers win district championship in overtime

They say that every game counts in the regular season. This may be true, but some games count for a whole lot more than just a win or a loss. Take Friday’s game between the Pine Prairie Panthers and the Port Barre Red Devils.
A Panther win would secure a district 5-3A championship; a championship that has not seen a home in Pine Prairie since 1994. It took an extra quarter, but the Panthers brought home the title with a 57-55 win.
Maybe it was the pressure of trying to secure a district title or maybe it was the fact that they were not on their home court, but Pine Prairie started the game very slowly. The Panthers did not shoot the ball well and could only knock down nine points in the first quarter.
On the flip side, the Red Devils came out looking to play the role of spoiler, taking a 15-9 lead at the end of the opening period.
The second quarter showed a little more promise for Pine Prairie. The Panthers settled down offensively and netted 14 points in the period. However, Port Barre maintained their offensive momentum, adding 13 points to their total.
Josh Freeman popped the nets for eight points to lead the way for Pine Prairie in the quarter. As the first half closed, the Red Devils held a five-point advantage.
As the second half began, the Panthers were within striking distance of Port Barre. The third quarter would turn out to be unkind to Pine Prairie. The Red Devils went on a scoring spree that ended with a 20-point offensive output.
The Panthers could not keep pace, only adding 11 points to their total. The Red Devils went into the final stanza with a 48-34 lead.
With the district championship fading, Pine Prairie needed a spark to take over control of the game. Port Barre continued to put pressure on the Panthers, leading by 15 points with only minutes left in the game.
Pine Prairie did the only thing they could do; ramp up the defensive effort. The Panthers began to full court press and caused several turnovers that led to important baskets. Pine Prairie roared back and tied the game at 55-55 as the fourth period buzzer sounded.
Fittingly enough, it would take overtime to decide the final district 5-3A game of the season. It was a hard fought extra period, with the Panthers scoring the only two points in overtime on a basket by Douglas Fontenot. When the final horn sounded, Pine Prairie had earned the championship title.
The Panthers had three players score in double digits. Leading the way was Freeman, who poured in 26 points. Allen Myles netted 11 points, while Fontenot chipped in 10 points.
Pine Prairie finishes the season with an overall record of 27-5 and 9-1 in district play. The Panthers now wait until Monday for the release of the playoff bracket. Until then, they must wait to see what the first round of the playoffs holds.