In a game heard on WEZC and online at dewittdailynews.com, despite getting outscored in the final eight minutes and 50 seconds, Monticello held off Paxton-Buckley-Loda 42-34 in high school boy's basketball action to secure third place at the Holiday Hoopla Saturday evening.
Gatsby Grant put the Sages ahead 28-11 with 5:27 left in the third but PBL outscored Monticello 23-14 the rest of the way. The Sages made just enough shots and played good enough defense to survive.
Grant was the only Sages player in double figures with 14 points. Matthias Rudolph scored seven points off the bench in the first half. Rudolph was the ServPro of Piatt/DeWitt Counties player of the game.
Tyler Cole had ten points for PBL.
The Sages shot just 39 percent from the floor but made 9-of-12 free throws.
Monticello also committed 20 turnovers and were outscored in the paint, 20-12.
The Sages held PBL to 29.3 percent shooting and the Panthers went ust 2-of-16 from beyond the arc. They also were 8-of-16 from beyond the foul line.
The Panthers drop to 5-7 overall.
Monticello goes to 5-6 overall. They are back in action after the new year when they host Warrensburg-Latham next Friday at the Sievers Center at 7 pm. Hear the action on 95.9 FM WEZC and online at dewittdailynews.com.
