Panthers Claim Highland Tournament Title Behind Team Grit, Senior Leadership
By Mike Scott
The Palmyra Panthers delivered a week to remember at the Highland basketball tournament, powering their way to the championship with a blend of senior leadership, underclassman energy, and a defense that rxefused to fold under pressure. With three straight wins—including a hard-fought title game against the Kirksville Tigers—the Panthers now sit at 9–3 on the season and look every bit like a team on the rise.
Palmyra opened the tournament on Tuesday against the Keokuk Chiefs and made an early statement. The Panthers controlled the pace, moved the ball with purpose, and handled their business for a 69–60 win to move into the semifinals. On Wednesday, they stayed hot. Facing Quincy Notre Dame’s JV squad, Palmyra put together another dominant performance, cruising to a 70–53 victory. With momentum building, all eyes turned to Saturday’s championship.
The title game against the Kirksville Tigers was a grinder from the start—a physical, low-scoring battle that showcased just how tough this Palmyra squad has become. Senior Raeson Miller got the Panthers on the board nearly two minutes in, breaking a tense early stalemate. Kirksville responded two minutes later, and at the end of the first, Palmyra held a slim 8–6 lead, with Miller scoring six of those points.
In the second quarter, the Panthers began to find rhythm. Junior Hudson Bock and freshman Kason Augspurg energized the offense with a slick alley-oop connection midway through the period. Each scored four points in the quarter, helping the Panthers stretch their lead to 18–12 heading into halftime.
Kirksville came out firing in the third, using long-range shooting to claw their way back into the game. The Tigers briefly took the lead with just seconds remaining, and a buzzer-beating three gave them a 29–27 edge heading into the fourth quarter. But that’s when Palmyra showed its championship mettle.
Augspurg ignited the final frame with a huge block, and Bock capitalized by going coast-to-coast for a layup. Moments later, Bock came up with a steal, finished through contact, and sank the and-one free throw to push the lead to five. From that point on, the Panther defense slammed the door. Kirksville managed just two points in the entire fourth quarter as Palmyra locked in and closed out a 38–31 victory to bring home the tournament trophy.
Bock led all scorers with 19 points, including eight in the clutch fourth quarter. Miller added eight—six of them coming in the first quarter— and was key in getting the Panthers off to a strong start. Senior Luke Sheppard chipped in five, including a key three-pointer late, and Augspurg added six points along with several momentum-shifting plays on both ends of the floor.
With a 9–3 record and a championship under their belts, the Panthers are hitting their stride. The team’s strength lies in its balance—senior leadership from Miller and Sheppard, the junior playmaking of Bock, and the emergence of young talent like Augspurg. As Palmyra heads into conference play, the Panthers are showing they have the pieces, poise, and passion to make this a season to remember.