The Panthers (0-2, 0-1) raced out to a 17-4 lead, but were not able to hang on as the Jayhawks (3-2, 2-2) were carried down the stretch by the offense of Sheick Kourmora on their way to a 98-78 victory.

“This is probably the first time since I’ve been coaching that we’ve had a team so young,” Jamestown CC head coach Xavier Churnac said. “We’ve got 12 freshmen on the roster so each game is a learning opportunity for us.”

A hot streak of outside shooting would help to spring Pitt-Titusville out to its early lead as Derek Glancy opened up the scoring on an outside shot before Simeal Wofford picked up three treys in a row to begin his night.

“It’s not one major thing that gets us in those situations, it’s all the little details that we have to focus on and really take advantage of certain situations,” Churnac said. “Just focusing and coming out with a sense of urgency, trying to make a statement. Honestly we failed to do that early on. We’re a young team so we are still learning how to put 40 minutes together.”

Jamestown Community College head coach Xavier Churnac talks to his team during a timeout Tuesday. P-J photo by Scott Kindberg

Kyle Butler would help get the hosts back on track, finishing off a 3, picking up a steal that was finished off on a fast break and then adding an underhand bucket in the lane to pull the Jayhawks back to within four points with 10 minutes remaining in the first half.

Wofford would maintain the margin for the Panthers, hitting four foul shots in a row after drawing contact on his way to a 39-point effort that included 17-of-18 shooting at the line.

Isaac Allen got into the action for the Jayhawks with a finish on a fast break and another inside bucket following a crafty spin move from the left side, but Pitt-Titusville would carry a 40-35 lead into the half.

Things would come to a tie at 53-53 after some more work by Butler and an inside shot from Jordan Thomas, while the Jayhawks saw their first lead after Kourmora hit home on a 3 to make it 56-53.

The freshman from Harlem would maintain his hot hand for much of the second half, finishing with 31 points and 11 rebounds for a double-double.

“We need to put 40 minutes together, we can’t play to the level of our competition,” Churnac said. “Once we start to get some stops and do what we’re supposed to do we can be who we are. We just have to keep working on the little things.”

A deep 3 by Butler and a nice pass from Carl Jackson to Thomas would give the Jayhawks the lead at 70-58, with Joys Tshinbangu adding to Kourmora’s offense down the home stretch with a make from beyond the arc.

Jamestown CC would win the rebounding battle, 38-47, with Butler finishing with 20 points and a team-high nine assists. Jashawn Robinson added 16 points in the win, as well as four rebounds in 26 minutes of play.

PITT-TITUSVILLE (78)

Dickerson 4-11 3-5 12, Wofford 8-22 17-18 39, Hoffman 2-3 0-0 5, Glancy 3-6 3-8 11, Curry 1-4 1-2 3, Philips 0-1 0-0 0, Robinson 3-9 2-3 3, Stiener 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 21-58 26-36 78.

JAMESTOWN CC (98)

Butler 8-14 1-2 20, Blumrick 1-3 0-0 2, Kourmora 9-16 8-9 31, Allen 3-7 2-4 8, Hougan 3-4 1-2 7, Daniels 0-5 2-2 2, Jackson 0-0 0-0 0, Bourne 1-3 1-1 3, Thomas 3-6 0-0 6, Guillen 0-4 0-0 0, Robinson 4-5 8-10 16, Tshibangu 1-3 0-0 3, Coleman 0-2 0-0 0, Kenyon 0-2 0-0 0, Bowmer 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 33-74 23-30 98.

Halftime–Pitt Titusville 40, Jamestown CC 35. 3-point goals–Pitt Titusville 10-26 (Dickerson 1-4, Wofford 6-13, Hoffman 1-2, Glancy 2-2, Curry 0-3, Stiener 0-2), Jamestown CC 9-29 (Butler 3-6, Blumrick 0-2, Kourmora 5-9, Allen 0-1, Daniels 0-2, Bourne 0-1, Guillen 0-2, Tshinbangu 1-2, Coleman 0-2, Kenyon 0-2. Rebounds–Pitt Titusville 38 (Robinson 10), Jamestown CC 47 (Kourmora 11), Assists–Pitt Titusville 11 (Dickerson 5), Jamestown CC 18 (Butler 9). Total Fouls–Pitt Titusville 22, Jamestown CC 24.