South Iron Boys Threepeat With OT Thriller on J-98

Image from Griffin Weinberg

(Springfield) It took overtime, but the South Iron Panthers became only the fifth team in Missouri history to win three basketball state championships in a row with a 56-47 victory over St. Elizabeth at Great Southern Bank Arena in Springfield Friday afternoon on J-98.

After routing the competition the last two years, the Panthers overcame a double digit deficit to win this year. Down 35-23 early in the third the Panthers began a slow but steady climb back. Kolton Dinkins hit a three to make it a single possession game with a minute left in the third.
The Panthers finally tied it with 30 seconds left in regulation and Dinkins put back his own missed three to send it to overtime….

Dinkins led all scorers with 19. Martez Burse scored 18 with 12 rebounds.
South Iron didn’t take it’s first lead of the game until the 1:38 mark in overtime when Dinkins hit a pair of free throws and the Panthers roared from there. Marquis Burse gave the fans from Annapolis a thunderous exclamation point…

South Iron outscored St. Elizabeth 13-4 in the overtime frame.
South Iron coach Dusty Dinkins says his knew they’d have to earn it…

Coach Dinkins says Kolton played winning basketball for his team…

Coach Dinkins says his guys don’t take the easy way, but they always find a way…

South Iron closes the year at 28-4 with their third straight state title, the 4th in school history. St. Elizabeth closes the year at 21-11. They have played in five straight final fours, but are still looking for their first championship.

Full interview with Dusty Dinkins