BEXLEY, Ohio -- Playing a complete game and getting contributions from all over their roster, Pickerington North (5-3) picked up a solid win over Centerville at the Capital City Coaches for a Cure Classic, defeating the Elks 62-47.

After a back and forth start to the game say Centerville freshman Gabe Cupps tie it at 13 with 1:27 left to play in the first, an 8-0 run from Pickerington North senior wing Hunter Shedenhelm to end the quarter by way of two three's and a pair of free throws gave the Panthers a 21-13 lead after one quarter of play.

Storming back with an 8-0 run of their own to begin the second, Centerville tied the game up at 21 with 6:16 left in the half after a tough score in the post from senior big Mo Nije.

While Pickerington North regained a 24-21 lead, Cupps finished a tough basket right before the buzzer to trim the deficit to 24-23 at the break.

After a few tough threes from Pickerington North sophomore ​​​​​​​Jerry Saunders, Centerville answered with an and-one from Rich Rolf to cut the lead to 30-27 with 6:19 left in the third.

Pickerington North responded with a 10-2 run to increase the lead to 40-29 with 2:19 left in the third after a tough finish from ​​​​​​​Casey George, and the Panthers cruised from this point on.

Following back-to-back three's from George and Shedenhelm coupled with a pair of free throws from sophomore Corey Hudson, the Panthers led 52-37 with 6:20 to go and had all but wrapped things up.

They move to 5-3 after the win and will travel to St. Charles for a tough road game next Friday.

Casey George (6'0 PG / Pickerington North / 2021): Over the first few weeks of the season, George has proved himself as one of the best lead guards in the area. The 6-foot junior plays with an elite feel, an elite pace and is a great decision maker off the dribble. George can really, really pass it as he always knows what play to make next and has great vision off the bounce. We love the mid-range game he offers as he hit a couple shots off the dribble in that area today along with knocking down two triples off the catch. Despite not being the quickest, George defends hard on the defensive perimeter, as he won a tough matchup against Centerville freshman sensation Gabe Cupps tonight. We are very excited to get out eyes on the junior a few more times this season as he simply improves in every viewing we have.

Jerry Saunders (6'1 WG / Pickerington North / 2022): Saunders put together another impressive showing in the starting lineup for the Panthers tonight, showing value on both ends of the floor. The 6-foot-1 wing continues to grow as a perimeter defender as he has quick feet, doesn't let guys beat him off the dribble and has solid instincts on that end of the floor. Offensively, Jerry knocked down three triples  off the catch today, got to the rim and drew contact and showed value as a passer off the dribble. We like the vision of the sophomore, as he finds teammates in transition and in the halfcourt for buckets on a consistent basis. Keep an eye on Jerry and his improvement, as he is one of the better two way guards in the area in the 2022 class.

Hunter Shedenhelm (6'5 WG / Pickerington North / 2020): Shedenhelm showed off his elite shooting today by knocking down a few threes off the catch in the matchup with Centerville. While his length, quick release and shooting touch allow him to excel at hitting shots from deep, Hunter continues to get better attacking guys off the dribble as he got to the rim for some tough finishes and drew contact on multiple occasions. Hunter is just as good as a wing defender as well as his length, quickness and IQ on that end allow him to be on of the very best wing defenders in the state. Don't be surprised to see Hunter put up some big scoring games this year as there's not much you can do to stop him when he gets going.