The Panthers moved to 4-4 in Skyway play with a 68-55 victory over the Oakton Owls on Thursday night.

Leading by 16 at halftime and by 22 with 16:16 left in regulation, the Panthers were in firm control throughout the night.

"This was a huge win for us. People look at their (Oakton) overall record and fail to understand how tough they are. They are a team that has competed with everyone in our region," head coach Jon Rush said.

Three reached double figures, and Matas Deksnys led the way with a game-high 19 points on 6-of-13 shooting. The southpaw knocked down four 3-pointers in the victory and chipped in with five boards.

"Matas is a very high-level shooter. He is the guy that every team has tried to take away since day one. It is never easy as the focal point of an offense, and everybody keys in on you. Give him and his teammates credit for executing and continuing to get him looks," Rush said.

The Panthers played tough defense and won the rebounding battle 31-27 with an edge on the offensive glass, 9-4. 

Amir Gause has plenty of rebounding skills for the Panthers, and he had one of his better games of the season in the win. In 35 minutes of action, Gause was a stud. He posterized the Owls with a few dunks on the night and posted his third double-double of the season (13 points, 10 rebounds). It was also the ninth game where Gause added double-digit rebounds.

"Amir has been one of the best rebounders in the region and country all year, going in and out of the top 25. As he develops, we are looking for him to be more selfish around the rim and score. Our guards have done a good job of attracting two defenders and finding him in a position to score. Defensively, he is the foundation of what we do. With his size and mobility, he can take up space and help deter the ball from the middle of the floor," Rush said.

Limiting the Owls to six made field goals in the first half were impressive, and they also forced 20 turnovers in the victory. The coaching staff prides itself on getting consecutive stops.

"Defensively, we put together six kills in the first half. There were six different occasions where we had three consecutive stops. We keep track of this to keep our guys locked in," Rush said.

The Panthers stayed in the hunt near the top of the Skyway standings. Currently 4-4, they are tied for fourth with Elgin. Going on the road for two games next week against McHenry and Prairie State will go a long way in determining where the Panthers finish. 

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