Confidence carries over

HARLAN – Creston’s confidence heading into its Class 3A Substate 8 quarterfinal game may have wavered early on, but the Panthers gained more spring in their step after a 69-65 overtime victory over Carroll Tuesday.

It was Evan Jacobson’s and Brance Baker’s ability to draw charges and hit free throws that turned the tide in the extra period.

The stretch that swung the game started with a pair of Jacobson free throws to bring Creston within one, 63-62 a minute in OT.

After a Dustin Merritt steal, Baker set up and knocked down a 3-pointer from the wing to give Creston a two-point advantage.

Baker hustled back to the other end of the floor where he picked his spot, set his feet and picked up a charge call that the referees had been awarding players most of the latter half of the game.

"Brance, I do not know what the exact total is on the year, but he is just a master at taking charges," said Creston head coach Taylor Phipps. "He anticipates really well."

Jacobson almost coughed the ball up on the Panthers’ next possession, but was able to get his hands back on the rock and sink a free throw after getting fouled.

The senior guard addressed a missed free throw by drawing a second consecutive charge call, putting him back on the charity stripe where he sunk both of his free throws, icing up the Panthers’ first postseason win since 2013 when Creston beat Winterset 79-49.

“My dad, when we were younger, we’d go shoot free throws in the gym and he’d always tell me this is to win the game,“ said Jacobson about his 11 of 13 night at the line. “I don’t really feel any pressure when I get up there. So get up there, line it up and knock it down.”

Jacobson and Baker scored 20 and 13 points, respectively and the other three Creston starters posted double-digit scoring margins as well.

Carroll had a chance to tie the game in the closing seconds, but Creston kept the Tigers from knocking down a look.

Final stretch of regulation

Creston had a chance to close out the game in regulation after Jacobson hit two freebies with 15 seconds left.

The Tigers responded with a nice pass for an easy look in the lane from Cooper Ross to Tyler Tunning to tie the game at 60 and earn the extra period. Ross and Tunning scored 23 and 13, respectively for Carroll.

As a collective unit, the Panthers knocked down 11 3-pointers. Jaden Driskell, despite battle foul trouble all night, was able to step out and knock down four long balls, three of which fell in the second half.

The one that showed how hot he had become, came after Driskell had checked back into the game with four fouls. Following a Cael Kralik triple, the senior stopped, popped and hit front iron, a ball that could have fallen short any other night grabbed some topspin and fell in, giving the Panthers a 50-44 lead early in the fourth quarter.

"Just a senior leader stepping up in a big time moment in a big time game," said Phipps of Driskell's opportune buckets.

Baker not only continued to force turnovers on the defensive end, he also knocked down three second half (and overtime) 3-pointers.

The Panthers trailed 20-8 after the first quarter and couldn’t seem to find an offensive rhythm early. Creston closed the gap to eight by the half, but gained ground over the course of the third quarter and continued to prove why they're a bunch brimming with confidence.

Down nine in the middle of the third quarter, Baker deposited a 3-pointer in front of the Panther bench that sent a new shock of electricity into the Panthers and their fans.

Kralik scored two of his 14 points on Creston’s next possession when he grabbed an offensive rebound and put the ball back in the cylinder.

Kralik's buckets came steadily throughout the winning effort as he posted seven points per half with a trey in each half of action.

After Carroll’s Tyler Tunning missed a chance at an and-one opportunity, Driskell buried another big 3-pointer to bring the Panthers back within three points to close out the third quarter.

"It’s just a really collective belief in each other. In the last few weeks I feel like we’ve really been growing," said Phipps. "Every single guy on the bench has bought in and loves this team. That's a big thing for a team to have that in the postseason."

The Tigers left a lot of points at the charity stripe. In a game filled with fouls and bonus situations, Carroll hit just 7 of its 17 free throw chances.

Smallwood, one of many Panthers battling flu-like symptoms that have spread around the team the last week or so, scored 10 points. Cole Higgins didn’t travel to Harlan Tuesday with similar symptoms.

Phipps said postgame that he thought Smallwood played, felling about 50-60 percent his usual self.

With the win, the Panthers also claim some revenge after Carroll bounced the red and white to start the postseason last year.

UP NEXT – Creston will travel back to Harlan Thursday to take on the hosts, the Harlan Cyclones. Creston and Harlan have split the season series after meeting Feb. 13 when the Panthers weathered the Cyclones 70-66 in Creston.

Running score by quarter

Crest – 8 23 41 60 69

Carr – 20 31 44 60 65

Crest (FG FT PTS) – Totals – 22 14-23 69. Jacobson 4 11-13 20, Cael Kralik 6 0-0 14, Brance Baker 4 2-4 13, Jaden Driskell 4 0-1 12, Kylan Smallwood 4 1-5 10. 3-point goals – 11 (Driskell 4, Baker 3, Kralik 2, Jacobson 1, Smallwood 1). Team fouls – 21. Fouled out – Driskell.

Carr (FG FT PTS) – 26 7-17 65. Cooper Ross 9 3-5 23, Tyler Tunning 6 1-4 13, Buomkuoth Lol 3 1-3 9, Jang Jioklow4 0-2 8, Colby Vincent 2 2-2 8, Chase Gladden 1 0-1 2, Justin Mohr 1 0-0 2. 3-point goals – 6 (Ross 2, Lol 2, Vincent 2). Team fouls – 22. Fouled out – Mohr.