REC CENTER — Senior Kevin Thomas (Highland) knocked down a pair of free throws with 23 seconds left on the clock giving the Peregrines a 65-60 advantage and the eventual game winning points. The Panthers added four more points to their total, but it wasn’t enough as the Peregrines held fast grabbing the 67-64 Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference victory Wednesday night.

The home crowd was tense in the final seconds as Panther D.J. Green (Simeon, Chicago) split a pair of free throws with 20 seconds left pulling his team to within four. Seconds later, Peregrine guard Robert Williams (Gary West Side) was fouled and calmly nailed both attempts and pushed the lead to 67-61.

With 10 seconds left, Panther Marcus Isaac (Indianapolis Lawrence North) drilled a 3-pointer finishing the scoring for the game. Isaac tried to repeat his success from the 3-point stripe with three seconds to play, but missed as time expired.

Junior Antonio McNeal (Hammond Gavit) led the Peregrines in scoring and has tied, or has been the leading scorer in the last three games. McNeal shot 72 percent from the field for 21 points, and he grabbed four rebounds and had a pair of assists. McNeal is averaging 17 points in his last three games.

Antonio Hurt (Michigan City), the team’s leading scorer averaging 11.9 per game, scored 16 on 8-of-14 (57 percent) from the floor, while grabbing five rebounds, collecting a pair of steals and had one blocked shot.  

Senior Vince Johnson (Bishop Noll) led the Peregrines with eight rebounds and added a dozen points in the victory. Johnson is averaging 8.8 points and six rebounds this season.

Williams finished with nine points and Thomas added seven points and five rebounds.

The Peregrines (2-19 overall, 2-4 CCAC) host Trinity Christian College (15-6, 5-1) Saturday at 3 p.m. in the second game of a doubleheader with the women’s squad.