Cooler heads prevailed in Catholic High’s Select Division III boys basketball playoff game on Tuesday.

Before a standing-room only crowd at CHS, the Panthers stayed composed in a physical regional contest against No. 11 Capitol, which led by eight points in the second half.

The No. 6 Panthers took advantage of three technical fouls against the Lions, including two with under two minutes remaining, and scored the game’s final six points to prevail, 61-55.

“That’s six free throws and three possessions,” CHS coach Casey McGrew said of the technicals. “We won by five points. I’m not saying we couldn’t have beaten them any other way, but I think that’s what won the game.”

Mykell Smith drove to the hoop for a close-range bucket that gave the Lions a 54-52 lead with 1:21 left. Smith, who was fouled on the play, got a technical for taunting, which was also his fifth foul.

With CHS up 56-55, the Lions’ leading scorer, Ramsey Bethel, got a technical and fouled out. Bethel finished with 19 points. Smith added 18 and Makaeveon Cherry had 11.

Tristan Lewis, who paced the Panthers with 20 points, made both free throws, and Chris Green (10 pts) added another. Lewis wasn’t hitting as many 3-pointers as usual, so the junior decided to penetrate the lane and draw fouls on the Lions, who had three players foul out.

“Tristan knows when it’s time to go to the rack,” McGrew said. “That’s where I’ve seen the most growth from him. Last year, he probably would’ve kept settling for the 3. This year, he understands that he needs to get to the rim. Look, by doing that, we put those guys in foul trouble.”

The Panthers made 20 of 38 free throws, attempting 25 in the second half. CHS also had foul trouble. Tyler Templeton fouled out with CHS up 52-51. The senior went out with a bang, hitting a 3-pointer moments before. Joab Trosclair fouled out less than a minute later.

“At one point, I said, ‘I don’t care,'” McGrew said. “We have enough warm bodies. I told Joab not to play scared of getting a foul. I have other guys.

It’s something we talk about in the locker room – knowing your role. The substitution guys came in and did their job. Karon (Eugene), Layton (Mitchell), Jake (Lissard) and Jacob (Minvielle) did their job. Everyone we put in contributed in some way.”

CHS (26-7) will face a second Baton Rouge opponent in the quarterfinals at 6 P.M. on Thursday at No. 3 University Lab (22-7), which defeated No. 14 Sarah Reed, 76-54.

Jaiden Mitchell and Lewis each played the full 32 minutes. Mitchell fed an assist to Trosclair for a dunk that ignited the crowd with the first points. CHS led 15-7 at the end of the first quarter. Capitol went into the half ahead 27-24 and led 46-41 at the end of three quarters.

Layton Mitchell scored off an assist from Jaiden Mitchell to open the fourth, and Jaiden Mitchell followed with a 3 for a 46-43 lead. The junior point guard’s free throw gave his team the lead again, 49-48, with 4:16 remaining. Minutes later, Trosclair’s blocked shot again kept CHS ahead by one.

“Jaiden doesn’t feel pressured too often, even when he’s tired,” McGrew said. “He can play under duress. He’s used to it.”

The Lions (19-12) made up for a size disadvantage with a hard-charging style that featured four players in the 6-2 to 6-3 range,led by Bethel and the 210-pound Smith.

“We never backed down,” McGrew said. “At halftime, I told them they’re going to have to sacrifice themselves. You’re going to have to dive on the floor for loose balls, take charges, match their physicality, and we did.”