For 40 minutes and beyond, Perryville refused to quit.
Time after time, the Pirates answered. They battled back from deficits and fought through foul trouble, but in the end, the difference between victory and defeat came down to inches, seconds, and free throws.
In a game defined by toughness and resilience, the Pirates pushed Ste. Genevieve through two overtime periods before falling 65-62 on Feb. 26 at the Perry County Middle School gymnasium.
The loss dropped Perryville to 9-16, while the Dragons improved to 16-8.
“I’m proud of each and every one of the players,” Perryville coach Eli Sample said. “They battled every single possession tonight. They never died out there. They just kept battling the whole game.”
The game was close throughout. Perryville led 15-13 after the first quarter and carried a 30-29 edge into halftime. Ste. Genevieve briefly gained momentum in the third quarter, but the Pirates responded in the fourth, tying the game and forcing overtime.
Neither team could create separation in the first extra period, setting up a second overtime where the Dragons finally gained the upper hand.
Senior forward Josiah Paisley led Perryville with 20 points, anchoring the Pirates on both ends before fouling out in the fourth quarter — a turning point in the game.
“I lost my big man — Josiah Paisley — who was playing a great game,” Sample said. “Then we lose Cole Rodewald in overtime there at the end. That hurt us a little bit, but my boys still persevered through two overtimes.”
Rodewald finished with 12 points, and Karston Schilli added 11, helping Perryville match Ste. Genevieve possession for possession.
The difference ultimately came at the free-throw line.
Ste. Genevieve converted 13-of-17 attempts, while Perryville managed just 4-of-13.
“They shot 76 percent, and we got 31 percent,” Sample said. “We definitely had a streak there where we missed a few in a row that we really needed. Those free throws hurt us. That was a big difference.”
Ste. Genevieve was led by Alexander Basler with 23 points, Jeffrey Hunter with 21, and Elijah Bennett with 14.
Perryville still had one final chance in the closing seconds of overtime. After a late timeout, Sample emphasized securing the rebound and pushing the ball quickly for a potential game-tying shot.
“I just wanted them to dig deep and try to get one stop,”
Sample said. “Then get the rebound and look down the floor immediately.”The opportunity never materialized.
Sample said his team showed character.
“They showed heart tonight,” Sample said. “That’s what I’m proud of.”
