South started the game with a 3-6 lead when Steve Summers exploded in a 30 second burst where he drained three 3s’ in row that vaulted South to a 3-15 lead. Dixie called timeout with 3:42 remaining in the first quarter and everybody in the Tipp gym just said, ‘WOW!’

Every time South made a run Dixie answered with a big shot to climb back into contention. South built their lead to 10-24 on a Josh Flynn rebound and stickback. The Greyhounds responded with 7 point run that ended when Nathan Blankenship drilled a 3 at the buzzer.

JT Stone and Summers led TVS on a 10 to 5 run to begin the 2nd quarter that gave them a 12 point lead with just over 4 minutes left in the half. Dixie started a 16 – 4 run with a 3 from Nick Miller and the halftime score found TVS up 4, 36-40.

The third quarter mirrored the other two with TVS building a 9 point lead but this time held on to a 7 point lead going into the 4th quarter.

The Panthers built a 10 point lead twice in the quarter with the second lead as the result of 2 Austin Schmidt free throws with 2 minutes and 50 seconds left. Three times in the game the Panthers responded to remain on top. 18 times in the season the Panthers found a way to win, but for what ever reason every thing that could go wrong, did for the rest of the evening.

Dixie started the comeback in the same fashion as before as Jared Moore nailed a three to narrow the gap to 7, 60-67.

The Panthers turned the ball over 4 times and missed 4 scoring opportunities over the next two minutes while Dixie hit one big shot or free throw. One basket would have made the difference for TVS down the stretch but shots rolled out or were off the mark. A pivotal 5 point swing occurred when Clint Spitler broke free with one defender on him. Spitler’s lay up rolled off the rim and Dixie recovered the rebound and drained the trey to put Dixie within one. 66-67.

TVS called timeout the Summers got a 12 foot jumper that he has hit numerous time throughout the season but this shot rolled in and out. Dixie went to the line to hit a free throw to tie the score at 67.

TVS had another scoring opportunity but couldn’t connect. Blankenship did connect on a jumper in the lane with 43 seconds left to put Dixie up for the first time in the contest, 69-67.

Summers drew a foul with 23 seconds remaining and calmly drained both tosses to tie the score and send the game into overtime.

JT Stone scored the first basket into the overtime; unfortunately that was the last basket of the Panthers season. Matt Risner scored all 4 points for Dixie in the extra stanza and the Greyhounds advance to face the Arcanum Trojans in the sectional finals.

Before the game TVS Coach Tony Augspurger received a call from his wife that she and their 3 kids were in a car accident before the game. I’m happy to report that everyone in the family is home and on the road to recovery.

Scoring by quarters
Dixie…17…36…45…69…73
TVS…24…40…52…69…71

Dixie
Bates – 10
Moore – 21
Miller – 11
Blankenship – 16
Risner – 9
Worley – 6

TVS
Innis – 6
Spitler – 7
Schmidt – 2
Summers – 24
Stone – 14
Strebig – 5
Flynn – 13