By JIM WALKER

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

WAVERLY — Comebacks from big deficits seem to be the natural way of doing business for the Chesapeake Panthers.

After coming back from 18 points down against Ironton in an overtime win earlier this season, the Panthers erased two 8-point and one 9-point deficits in a 53-40 win over the Eastern Brown Warriors on Tuesday in the Division 5 district semifinals at the Waverly Downtown Arena.

The Panthers (21-3) used a strong second half that saw them outscore the Warriors 36-18 and earn a trip to the district finals on Friday against Wheelersburg at Ohio University.

GradyBarber hit back-to-back 3-pointers as the Warriors went up 12-4 with 1:55 left in the first quarter. Kaden Perkins answered with his own triple and the Panthers were down 12-7 to end the quarter.

Karson Frecka’s short jumper got the Panthers within 12-9 to start the second quarter, but Eastern Brown (18-5) scored 6 straight to lead 18-9 midway through the quarter.

Frecka’s 3-point play with 39 seconds left in the half cut the Warriors’ lead to 22-17.

The second half belongs to the Panthers.

Perkins layup and 3-point play thanks to a nice pass from Maddox Kazee tied the game at 22. Barber’s 12-footer gave the Warriors a 24-22 lead with 6 minutes on the third quarter clock.

It would be Eastern Brown’s last lead of the game.

Kazee hit a 3-pointer and Perkins connected on a pair of free throws and it was 27-24. Kazee came up with a steal that he turned into a layup and it was 29-24.

Barber sank a free throw at the 3:08 mark to momentarily stop the bleeding, but Perkins hit a 10-foot baseline jumper and Kazee drained a trey to make it 34-25 to end the quarter.

Frecka made three layups as the lead grew to 42-26. Perkins went 4 of 4 from the foul line and the lead was 47-32 with 3:03 left and now it was just a matter of time before the Panthers could begin celebrating.

Perkins scored 19 points to lead the Panthers. Kazee and Frecka scored 13 points each.

Barber had 19 points to pace the Warriors.

E. Brown  12 10 3 15 = 40

Chesapeake 7 10 19 17 = 53

EASTERN BROWN (18-5): Kade Walkup 0 0 0-0 0, Jaidon Florence 0 0 1-2 1, Sam Kirk 0 0 0-0 0, Kayne Dodson 0 0 0-0 0, Chase Pinkerton 2 0 0-0 4, Sam Ramer 0 0 2-2 2, Drew Edmisten 0 1 0-0 3, Carter Cluxton 0 0 0-0 0, Landen Koehler 1 0 0-0 2, Braxton Vance 1 0 1-2 3, Andrew Campbell 0 0 0-0 0, Bryce Murphy 3 0 0-0 6, Grady Barber 5 2 3-8 19, Matthew Dick 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 12 3 7-14 40. Fouls: 20. Fouled out: None.

CHESAPEAKE (21-3): Ethan Kerns 0 1 1-2 4, Jon Cooper Barker 0 0 0-0 0, Drew Platz 0 0 2-4 2, Landon Kerns 0 0 0-0 0, Kaden Perkins 4 1 8-9 19, Dennis Scarberry 0 0 0-0 0, Andrew Isaacs 0 0 0-0 0, L Clay 0 0 0-0 0, Maddox Kazee 3 2 1-2 13, Philip Thacker 0 0 2-4 2, Peyton Muncy 0 0 0-0 0, Karson Frecka 6 0 1-2 13, Andy Chapman 0 0 0-0 0, Jackson Spitler 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 13 4 15-23 53. Fouls: 15. Fouled out: None.