Jack Britt 60, Panther Creek 44

GREENVILLE — Panther Creek's season is over.

Jack Britt ended their run with a 60-44 victory in the N.C. High School Athletic Association 4-A Eastern Regional semifinals at Minges Coliseum Tuesday.

Panther Creek was playing without two top starters and a key reserve for team disciplinary reasons.

Despite that, the Catamounts (28-3) were close at halftime after falling behind early.

The Buccaneers (25-6) led 19-8 at the end of the first quarter, but Catamounts senior forward Marques Oliver poured in 10 points and the second quarter.

And sophomore guard Javonte Rankin’s 3-pointer with 1:33 left in the first half tied the score at 25-25.

But Britt center Xavier Nixon sparked a 13-4 run in the third quarter that put his team up 44-33 heading into the final quarter.

Nixon scored 9 points in the third quarter and finished the night with a team-high 17 points.

The Catamounts final run came at the beginning of the fourth quarter. Sophomore Isaiah Johnson and Marques Oliver hit a pair of field goals and Mike Hood's 3-pointer with 5:20 left cut the score to 46-40.

But a few minutes later, Panther Creek senior center Aaron Toney fouled out and Britt went to the paint while Panther Creek's perimeter shots mostly rimmed out.

Marques Oliver led all scoring with 18 points and Hood added 15.

For undisclosed disciplinary reasons, Panther Creek played without senior guards Earnest Ross, an Auburn recruit, and Brandon Oliver and key reserve Karim Sako, a junior forward. The three players first missed Friday's third-round game, a 68-64 win over Southern Durham.