Here are 3 takeaways from Petersburg PORTA’s regional final loss to Central/Southeastern

PETERSBURG — It could be called the Group of Death.

No. 3 Camp Point Central/Southeastern marshaled just enough plays to come out on top.

The Panthers nipped No. 2 host Petersburg PORTA/A-C Central 31-28 in the Class 2A girls basketball regional final on Thursday.

CSE (30-4) advances to the Pleasant Plains Sectional semifinals against No. 1 seed Staunton on Tuesday after persevering through two grueling contests by four points combined.

That included a dramatic 36-35 regional semifinal win over No. 5 seed and Sangamo Conference champion Plains highlighted by senior forward Abbey McMillen’s game-winning free throw with no time remaining.

“We’re battle-tested,” CSE coach Matt Long said. “We’ve played the toughest schedule we’ve ever played. We’ve played 13 top 10 state-ranked teams in 1A, 2A and 3A. We’ve been in close games and it paid off tonight.”

Thursday marked another, both PORTA and CSE hailed from the top 5 by The Associated Press in 2A at No. 2 and No. 5, respectively.

Here are some top takeaways from CSE’s gritty win over the Bluejays.

CSE sinks PORTA with late 6-0 run

Junior point guard Jayce Privia vaulted PORTA (27-2) ahead 26-24 with four minutes left in the fourth quarter.

CSE sophomore guard Lauren Miller answered with two free throws and the go-ahead basket off the glass over Privia.

Sophomore teammate Karly Peters extended the margin 30-26 with another drive to the hoop with under two minutes remaining.

“We told them we had to get downhill,” Long said. “We couldn’t worry about their height. We had to start taking it to the basket and make something happen. I thought they did a pretty good job of that late in the fourth.”

It was a matter of desperately clinging onto the lead afterward.

Miller led the Panthers with 14 points while Peters had seven. McMillen added six points.

“It just happened to be they were pinching on the outside on our shooters, so we just tried to get in there and do whatever we can to help,” Miller said.

Panthers swarm PORTA with pressure

The Bluejays totaled 13 turnovers.

CSE vexed PORTA with constant pressure and kept the ball from getting inside.

PORTA’s interior players combined for just eight points. Sophomore forward/center Carson Arthalony managed six points and four rebounds — two of her three baskets came on putbacks in the fourth period.

“They’re big obviously,” Miller said. “They’ve got some height. We tried to put pressure on the outside, so they couldn’t get it into the inside. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t. But we just try to be who we are and go out and play hard every single night.”

PORTA assistant Mark Cox filled in for head coach Eric Kesler, who was out due to illness.

Cox, who was previously the head coach of the PORTA boys basketball team, said CSE’s defense resembled Texas Tech's approach of keeping the ball out of the middle.

“They’re scheme is really good,” Cox said. "They pressure, they always have somebody on the help side. We worked on that for two days and I thought we did a pretty good job. I think their experience showed a little bit more on that with their scheme.”

PORTA leans on Privia

Privia scored nine of her team-high 11 points in the first half and the Bluejays trailed 19-17 at halftime.

She nearly carried her young team to sectionals.

“I’ll put Jayce Privia up against anybody,” Cox said. “She does so much for the team. She does so many intangibles … calling out plays, calling out defenses. She’s just a really special player.”

PORTA, which started 26-0, matched the most wins in school history from the 2009-10 season.

“Hats off to PORTA,” Long said. “We played them twice last year and put the running clock on them once. They’ve improved so much. They came out tonight and they’re a tough bunch of kids.

“We told our kids to be ready. They were coming after us. I’m proud of our kids, but I’m telling you what, I’m proud of the way the PORTA kids fought.”

No. 1 seed and defending 2A state champion Quincy Notre Dame topped No. 4 Sacred Heart-Griffin 54-43 to also advance to the Plains Sectional semifinals. QND will meet Friday’s regional final winner between No. 2 Hillsboro and No. 3 Pittsfield.

CSE’s next opponent, Staunton, claimed its first regional title in school history with a 44-31 win over No. 6 Alton Marquette.

Contact Bill Welt: 788-1545, bill.welt@sj-r.com, Twitter.com/BillWelt

This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: IHSA girls basketball: Central/Southeastern nicks PORTA for regional crown