Having won four of their past five games, the Panthers will look to continue their successful ways against Rock Valley on Thursday night.

Their most recent matchup with Olive-Harvey featured an impressive victory to keep the momentum in their favor. 

"This was a great win against a previously undefeated Region IV opponent," head coach Jon Rush said.

Manny Rodriguez led all scorers with a game-high 24, making four three-pointers in the victory. The matchup was won thanks to the game-winning free throw by Rodriguez in the closing seconds after he drew a foul. 

"We have a very close-knit group. These guys have nothing but confidence in one another. It's not surprising to see it carry over onto the floor. When we are playing at a high level, it's a result of multiple guys making plays for their teammates," Rush said.

One of the rising stars on the team has been Rodriguez. While he had an 0-for-10 performance in a narrow loss to College of DuPage, the sophomore has been unstoppable these past two games.

The star point guard posted a 10-for-19 performance in their second win of the year over Black Hawk last week. The season-high 26 points were impressive, but to then post 24 in the very next matchup shows how far the former Morton West guard has come.

Averaging over 16 points per game with 23 three-pointers made on the season, Rodriguez is playing with plenty of confidence. 

"Manny is a sophomore who continues to take strides. We are confident that he can continue to play at a high level for us," Rush said.

Also, in the victory, Matas Deksnys dropped 13 points. The southpaw has been an impressive scorer and leader for a team that needs its stars to perform against top competition. 

Two other starters are coming off impressive performances in their most recent victory. Kedric Anderson and Lonnel Strickland combined for 24 points, with 17 coming in the first half. Anderson has been able to score at will when given the opportunity, and the slashing ability of Strickland has given Rodriguez and Deksnys open looks.

Moving on is often a challenge for other programs, but the Panthers realize that knocking off one unbeaten squad and moving to the next game mentality is vital.

The Panthers are taking on a 5-5 Rock Valley squad, winners of three in a row, including a win of their own over Black Hawk. The Panthers have two victories on the season over Black Hawk, so there are some common opponents between the Illinois squads.

"Rock Valley is a game where we will need to guard without fouling, they are averaging about 16 made free throws a game right now," Rush said. 

Rodriguez and Deksnys are double-figure scorers catching fire, and both can dominate stretches of games. The outside shot can be an equalizer for the Panthers. It helps that both are producing simultaneously, since they are challenging to defend when either is in the zone.

While the women (No. 2) have a showdown against No. 13 Rock Valley at 5:15 pm, the second game of the doubleheader (men) will be another treat for those in attendance at the Henry J. Vais Gymnasium.

The two games will also be live on our Facebook page. Kenny McReynolds and Mark Krueger will be the announcers, and the elite tandem has called games for over 25 years. They are excited to announce the pivotal Panther matchups on Thursday night, both of which should be thrillers.

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