Home court advantage proved to be a factor in the Jan. 26 matchup between the Jemison Panthers and Thorsby Rebels boys basketball teams, as the Panthers took a 56-41 win in Alton Cobb Gymnasium. 

The Rebels opened strong, taking a 10-9 lead late in the first quarter on a 6-0 run with baskets by Christian Fortner and Brock Higgins, but the Panthers took the lead as time expired on a jump shot by Kevin Nunn.

The Panthers opened the second period on a 12-0 run that saw Shawn Poe, Cody Thompson, Wesley McGehee and Shun Strong all chipping in and McGehee capping it off with a three-pointer.

Thorsby finally got on the board at the 4:30 mark when Gray Bice added a basket, and was followed by a basket by Bailey Sellers.

Thompson added a two-pointer for Jemison and Tremon Bryant sank a three-pointer to give the Panthers a 25-14 lead.

Ben Thornton gave the Rebels a 4-0 run on a pair of baskets with 34 seconds left, but McGehee knocked down another three to put Jemison up 31-18 at the end of the half.

At the start of the second half, it was the Rebels who came out shooting, as Fortner drained a three-pointer, a subsequent free throw and another three-pointer to cut the lead to 33-25 before Bryant sank a three-pointer of his own to extend the lead again.

Fortner answered with a three, but Jemison closed out the half with 5-2 run, capped off by another three-pointer from McGehee.

Thorsby opened with a Sellers basket to start the fourth quarter, with Poe responding with a free throw.

The two squads then traded baskets, with Jemison taking a 46-35 lead with 4:58 left.

Back-to-back Sellers baskets, along with a Higgins bucket to the Panthers one free throw, closed the gap to 47-41 with 2:39 left, but the Panthers held on to take the 54-41 win.

Fortner led the Rebels with 14 points, while Sellers posted 10.

Bryant led the Panthers with 16 points, followed by Strong who had 13.