Greg Barnette/Daily News

For the second time in five days, the Greenwood boys basketball team went into overtime. And for the second time, overtime was unkind to the Gators. Greenwood used a solid defensive effort to force overtime against Russellville, but was unable to contain the Panthers in overtime. Russellville scored 16 points in the second half, but exploded for 12 points in overtime and cruised to a 56-47 win Tuesday. Its like Groundhogs Day, Greenwood coach Blane Embry said. It seems like you wake up and its the same game over and over again. Were just a break or two away or a bucket or two away from being 5-0. But were 2-3 and weve got to live with it. While the Panther offense sputtered at times, Russellville used a pressure defense to force 27 Gator turnovers. Our defense was real sound all night long, Russellville coach Phil Todd said. Offensively, we were so impatient with the ball. We were taking quick shots and nobody was really ready to rebound. Were going to have to go back and work on that. In the first half, Russellville had little trouble finding its scoring touch. The Panthers got 11 points off 12 Greenwood turnovers and took a 28-22 lead into the locker room. I was really disappointed in our effort at halftime, Embry said. That was the first time that we came out flat and lacked intensity. Russellvilles lead was still five points, 31-26, midway through the third quarter when Greenwood got a spark from a technical foul by Embry. The Gators responded with a 7-0 run to take a 33-31 lead with 1:39 left in the third quarter. The Panthers answered with a three-point play by Peyton White to regain the lead, 34-33, but Greenwood used a 7-2 spurt to build a 40-36 lead with 4:43 remaining. We couldnt finish, Todd said. It seemed like we were getting turnovers, then throwing the ball at our feet or our elbows or anything else. We werent making real smart decisions. Greenwood failed to add to its lead with turnovers on three of the next four possessions. Russellville answered with six straight points to regain a 42-40 advantage. The Gators would rally on a three-point play by Adam Hartz, but Russsellville regained a 44-43 advantage on a steal and layup by Patrick Temple with 44 seconds remaining. Greenwood tied the score when Hartz connected on one of two free throws with 18 seconds remaining and the Panthers missed a shot to win in regulation. Russellville came back in overtime with two quick baskets to take a 48-46 lead. The Panthers put the game away when Demetrius Whitford converted a three-point play with 1:58 remaining. They hit two extremely hard shots, Embry said. The first two buckets they made were running 10-footers that we tell our players are the kind of shots we want to give up. A 10-footer with a hand in your face and they hit both of them, thats two good players making their shots. T.C. Thomason led Russellville with 22 points. Hartz led Greenwood with 12 points. Greenwood (2-3) will play at Warren East at 7:30 p.m. Friday. Russellville (3-2) will play at Owensboro on Dec. 26.Russellville 14 14 6 10 12 – 56Greenwood 11 11 11 11 3 – 47Russellville (56) Thomason 22, Temple 12, Whitford 6, Terry 12, Woodard 1, White 3.Greenwood (47) Hartz 14, Leedy 2, Gomez 7, Davis 5, Littleton 6, Howard 5, Sowders 3, Peterie 5.