The Park Hill South boys basketball team had four seniors reach double figures as they ran away with a 64-44 Senior Night victory against Liberty on Jan. 27.
The conference clash remained close for much of the first quarter, but South found an extra edge as the opening frame drew to its conclusion. The Panthers knocked down three triples as they stretched their first-quarter lead to 10 points, eventually taking a 19-11 lead going to the second quarter.
Senior John Rastorfer drives to the basket in South’s senior night victory against Liberty.
Liberty got back within two scores, then South took further command in the second quarter as back-to-back buckets from junior John Rastorfer made it 26-16. The Panthers ended the first half on a 13-2 run, holding a 33-18 lead at halftime.
The Blue Jays battled back to cut the deficit to single digits in a tight third quarter. Joseph Luken was among South’s star performers, going 4 of 5 from the field and finishing the night with 11 points, as he scored on a couple of trips down the floor late in the period to make it 44-33 after three quarters.
Park Hill South ensured a victory in the fourth quarter by slamming on the gas, extending its lead to as many as 23 points in the victory. The senior trio of Luken, Jackson Wheeler and Jax Navarro helped supply the Panthers’ biggest quarter of the contest as they ran away with the 20-point victory.
It was a third consecutive conference win to start the conference schedule this season after starting 1-4 in conference last season. Flipping those results was among the expectations after working hard over the offseason.
“We did expect it,” Park Hill South head coach Max Sollars said. “The amount of work we put in over the spring, over the summer, over the fall, and then now, we expect to not be the most elite team in our city, but we believe we can play with anyone.”
The Panthers opened the conference slate with a 48-47 win at Park Hill before blowing out St. Joseph Central by 40 points. Sollars isn’t trying anything new, he just keeps using with what has led to the Panthers’ success.
“We’re just sticking to the script,” Sollars said. “We don’t want to stop. We’re pretty dead-set on playing this way, and what we do is not a secret, so we’re just trying to be the best versions of that.”
The Panthers can dominate games in the paint between Wheeler and Carson Bjorn, who registered his sixth double-double this season against Liberty with 13 points and 16 rebounds.
They also have guards who can shoot from deep, with Jax Navarro most recently catching fire. Sollars praised his seven high-character seniors, all of whom have taken on significant roles where they excel in life.
Student-body president Cooper Snow was among the seniors who got minutes off the bench, scoring a bucket and logging his first block of the season. Joining Snow was Clayton Howren, who has taken steps into the workforce with various internships, and Tyre Flowers, who was among South’s football standouts last fall. All seven seniors bring valuable leadership qualities that Sollars is able to mesh together on the basketball court.
“I’m happy the score was where it was at to make sure those dudes got the love on the court they deserved,” Sollars said. “They are loved a lot of other places, but they deserve that court love too and they did a really good job.”
South’s winning run in conference came to a conclusion against No. 5 state-ranked Oak Park, falling 53-37 on Jan. 30. The Panthers continue their four-game homestand by hosting Raytown South on Feb. 4 and North Kansas City on Feb. 10.