BARBOURVILLE — Tony Patterson had his Knox Central squad ready to go from the opening whistle, and it showed early and often as Knox Central handed Lynn Camp an 89-40 loss.
Hayden Melton set the tone in the first quarter, pouring in a big chunk of his game-high 32 points as the Panthers jumped out to a 27-9 lead after one. Knox Central’s strong inside play and aggressive defense continued to overwhelm Lynn Camp in the second quarter, forcing turnovers and converting in transition while again holding the Wildcats to just nine points. The Panthers took a commanding 43-18 advantage into halftime.
Melton stayed in control coming out of the break, scoring 12 points in the third quarter while cleaning up on both the offensive and defensive glass. Knox Central pushed the lead to 68-31 heading into the fourth.
With the outcome decided, the Panthers coasted through the final period, showcasing their depth with seven different players scoring in the fourth quarter and 10 players finding the scoring column overall. The night was punctuated by an electric dunk from freshman Kobe Reed in the closing moments that brought the entire arena to its feet.
The win clinched Knox Central a spot in the district championship game, where the Panthers will await their opponent on Friday.
Melton led all scorers with 32 points. Evan Taylor added 13, Evan Hubbard finished with 10, and Luke Olmstead and Luke Prichard chipped in nine points apiece.
