Nashville Prevails Over Two Rivals

By Travis Volz

It was rivalry weekend for the Hornets, and Nashville traveled to Pinckneyville and Okawville and came home with wins in each game.

Contrasting styles were on display in Pinckneyville Friday, as a small and quick Panthers team took on a big, strong Nashville squad. Size prevailed as the Hornets finished on top by a score of 50-38.

“Pinckneyville was trying to put a lot of pressure on us, and we were trying to utilize our inside people,” Nashville coach Brad Weathers said. “We knew it was going to be tough, and we turned it over more than we liked, but we played through it.”

The game was closer than the final score indicated, as Nashville pulled away in the final three minutes of the game.

Daniel Thorson had a big game for Nashville, pouring in 20 points to pace the Hornets’ offense. He hit one of the biggest shots of the game when he knocked down a triple midway through the fourth quarter with his team leading by six points.

“Daniel’s a confident young man, and he felt it,” Weathers said of Thorson’s big shot. “I thought we could eat a little more clock and maybe get to the free throw line, but we’ll take it.”

Now ahead by nine points, the Hornets’ Troy Pedtke knocked down three of four charity tosses and Thorson scored again to lock it down for Nashville.

Newman was the focus of the Panthers’ defense, but he still hit double figures in scoring with ten points. Dylan Mueller scored eight points and Brady Bultman chipped in seven.

The Hornets led for most of the game, but they could never pull away. Pinckneyville’s attacking defense forced enough turnovers to allow the Panthers to hang around. Nashville’s lead did not go into double figures until late in the fourth quarter.

For More, Please Read The January 14 Edition Of The Nashville News.