Photo Courtesy of MP Sports Social Media (Nicole Miller)

The Mid-Prairie Golden Hawk boys basketball team worked over Pekin Thursday for a wire-to-wire non-conference win inside of Tim Grady Gymnasium in Wellman 72-32. After a 2-2 tie early, Mid-Prairie put together a 13-3 run to build a 20-9 lead after one. Then the Golden Hawk defense crescendo-ed further, holding Pekin completely scoreless for five minutes of the second and putting them through a seven minute drought from the floor to take a 40-14 lead into half. A 10-2 Golden Hawk run in the third, put them up 57-25 going to the fourth, enacting the running clock and sealing the Panthers fate. The Hawks won the glass by 14, turnovers 17-12, held Pekin 40 points below their per game average, and connected on eight three pointers on the night. Bryce Henry led the Golden Hawk attack with a 25 point barrage that included five threes, to go with seven rebounds and three steals. He spoke after the game about his night and the team win.

Henry said, “It’s all about confidence and finding my shots. My teammates are throwing great passes. We’re getting up the floor really well. (With rebounding) it’s really about boxing out. I have been really focusing on that. (As a team) we’re focused on defense, talking and moving on that end of the floor. Getting steals, getting rebounds, fast breaks. That’s what gets us more points.”

He was joined in double figures by three teammates including a 12 point night for Kale Miller with five boards, 11 points and eight rebounds for Kaden Kos, who got the start with injuries to Ace Peck and Brooks Weber and 10 points with seven assists for Brady Weber. Pekin got 13 each from Cole Millikin and Will Adam. Mid-Prairie remains unbeaten at 3-0 as the Panthers drop to 1-2. The Hawks travel to West Branch for a River Valley Conference doubleheader you can hear on KCII Friday night.