The Russellville Panthers won and important district game at Franklin-Simpson Friday. The 62-55 victory raised their winning percentage to .500 (7-7).

The Wildcats opened the varsity game with a 12-0 run that lasted four minutes into the first quarter. With 4:00 to go in the period, Orlando Woodard scored the Panthers' first two points.

It took another 1:15 for Russellville to score again, but Coach Phil Todd's Panthers were ready to turn things around by then.

Russellville did fall short in the first quarter, being outscored 14-9, but a 23-point effort in the second quarter put the Panthers in front for good. T.C. Thomason and Damien Terry each had 11 points for Russellville in the first half. Terry shot the ball extremely well from the field in the first half; he had a 66.7 percent shooting percentage, while the Panthers as a team were shooting 46.7 percent. Russellville led 32-28 at halftime.

The Panthers outscored Franklin-Simpson 20-10 in the third quarter. Terry had the hot-hand for Russellville in the quarter; he put 10 points on the scoreboard for the Panthers by himself with 71.4 percent shooting. Russellville led 52-38 by the end of the third quarter.

The Panthers reached their biggest lead of the game, a 20-point margin, with 5:42 to go in the game.

As Russellville began to control the clock, the Wildcats started to foul and send the Panthers to the charity-stripe, a good strategy considering Russellville went 4-15 from the free-throw line. The fouling was not enough though and the Panthers held on to the lead and won the game 62-55.

Terry led the way for Russellville in the contest with 25 points and five rebounds. Thomason chipped in 16 points and nine rebounds, and Woodard added 10 points and four rebounds. The Panthers out-shot Franklin-Simpson 50 percent to 33.3 percent from the field in the game.

The win put the Panthers in good position for the number one seed in the district. They are 3-1 with games left at Logan County Feb. 6 and against Franklin at home.

Russellville will be back in action Tuesday night in a JV/Varsity game against visiting Allen County-Scottsville.

Score by quarters: 1) F-S 14-9, 2) RHS 32-28, 3) RHS 52-38, Final) Russellville 62, Franklin-Simpson 55

RHS (62) Damien Terry 25, T.C. Thomason 18, Orlando Woodard 10, Patrick Temple 5, Peyton White 4, Demetrius Whitford 2

F-S (55) Matt Morris 15, Devin Phillips 14, Cailyn Hogan 11, Troy Wilson 8, Bryant 6, A.J. Hogan 1