Pinckneyville edges A-J

Anna-Jonesboro let first and third quarter leads slip away in a 48-43 loss to host Pinckneyville in Southern Illinois River-to-River Mississippi Division high school boys’ basketball action Friday, Jan. 29.

With A-J’s J.R. Woodward making a basket to close out the first quarter, the Wildcats led 10-7 after one period.

The Panthers pulled ahead in the second quarter and a 3-pointer by the Wildcats’ Travis Smith’s during the run kept the game close as A-J trailed 19-17 at the half.

Behind a pair of 3-pointers by Jordan Adams and one by Gabe Pecord, the Wildcats pulled ahead 32-28 at the end of three periods.

Adams opened the final quarter with a 3-pointer and closed the quarter with another; however, A-J was outscored 20-11 in the frame. The Panthers made eight consecutive free throws to close out the game.

Adams, who had four  3-pointers, led the way for A-J with 16 points and 2 rebounds.

Pecord added 8 points. Brady Wright had 4 points and 6 rebounds. Woodward had 4 points and 4 rebounds. Tylor Duckworth had 4 points and a rebound. Travis Smith had 3 points and Jacob Brimm 2.

The Wildcats were 11 of 26 in shot attempts from the floor, 7 of 13 from 3-point range and 0 of 1 from the free throw line.

Dudek had 12 points to lead the Panthers, who were 17 of 26 in shot attempts from the field, 1 of 9 from 3-point range and 11 of 13 from the charity stripe.

Pinckneyville improved to 18-3. A-J, which fell to 13-11, is scheduled to play Friday at home against Sparta.