Parkview Girls Advance; Boys Fall Short in Comeback Against Central Gwinnett (Video)

Parkview boys basketball coach Keenan Temple pointed out what anybody who had seen his team play this season already knew:

“Nobody’s ever gonna say this team quits,” he said after an emotionally draining 62-58 loss to second-seeded Central Gwinnett in the first round of the Region 8-AAAAA tournament Tuesday at Parkview.

The young Panthers, who entered the tournament as the No. 7 seed, trailed by 20 points well into the third quarter, but stormed back to make it a game down the stretch.

Parkview, which finishes its season 11-14, pulled to within the final margin twice in the final two minutes.

Central Gwinnett (16-8) led 49-29 with about four minutes left in the third before Parkview roared back.

Delano Spencer, who finished with a team-high 22 points, scored seven straight points during an 11-0 run that pulled the Panthers within 53-48 with 5:38 left in the game.  Andre Chatfield’s steal and basket made it 59-55 with 1:10 left.

But Central made three free throws to make it a comfortable 62-55 lead with 41 seconds left before Elliott Abraham’s 3-pointer with 10 seconds provided the game’s final points.

Ultimately, Parkview ran out of gas trying to dig out of such a deep hole.

“They gave me everything they had,” Temple said. “You spot them a 20-point lead and have to fight back so hard, it’s physically exhausting.”

Abraham added 18 points for Parkview, which made nine 3-pointers.

Simeon Dennis scored 25 to lead Central Gwinnett.

Parkview’s girls, the top seed, made quick and easy work in their region-tournament opener, holding a double-digit lead for three and a half quarters in a 61-20 blowout win over Shiloh.

The Lady Panthers (21-4), who won the region tournament last season, but was upset in the first round of the state tournament, led 22-6 after one quarter, 36-19 at the half and 53-14 after three quarters.

Katie Carroll scored 14 points to lead the Lady Panthers. Erika Joseph had 11 points, Neph Leonidas 10 and Mia Marshall 9.

Shiloh (3-23), which beat Grayson 52-47 in Monday’s play-in game, was led by Kimberleigh Rivers with 6 points and Aziza Day with 5.

Parkview advances to Friday’s semifinal and will play the winner of Wednesday’s game between Central Gwinnett and Berkmar.

In other games Tuesday, No. 8 seed Archer upset top-seeded South Gwinnett 68-66 in a first round boys game (). Brookwood’s girls scored 53 first-half points and beat Archer 79-31 as Katie Mallow had a game-high 22 points.