Kelly rolls past Scott Central

MORLEY -- Kelly broke open a close game with a hot-shooting second half to trip Scott County Central 78-67 in a Scott-Mississippi Conference matchup on Tuesday.

The blistering Hawks (9-4, 1-0) scorched the net at a 70 percent pace in the fourth quarter -- 65 percent in the second half.

"We had some time to prepare for these guys and I think that was a key," said Kelly coach Cory Johnson, whose surprising Hawks continue to impress. "We took care of the basketball against their halfcourt trap and hit open guys for some easy buckets. Anytime you get good looks like we did tonight, you're going to shoot well from the floor."

Holding on to a slim three-point lead at the intermission, 29-26, Kelly opened the second half with an 8-0 run and led 52-44 as the third period expired.

Scott Central (9-5, 1-1) narrowed the gap to six at 56-50 early in the fourth quarter, but got no closer.

"We didn't shoot it very well," said Scott Central coach Delane Beckwith. "We looked kind of unorganized tonight. We couldn't get much going."

A Kent Deason 3-pointer triggered a 7-0 run midway through the period pushing Kelly to a 63-50 advantage.

Scott Central, now forced to gamble on defense, was picked apart by the disciplined Hawks.

"We got down and had to try to make up the difference with a trap defense," said Beckwith. "Coach Johnson does an excellent job with them and they executed real well, found the open man and scored."

Michael Glastetter, a 6-foot Kelly senior, was often the open man. Glastetter, who finished with a season-high 22 points, scored 16 in the second half.

"Michael stepped up tonight," said Johnson. "We've been waiting for him to do it all year. He plays hard every night and deserves a big night like tonight. Hopefully, this will give a big boost to his confidence."

Kelly's Deason twins, Kendal and Kent, turned in their usual solid performances with 20 points apiece, including three treys each. Derek Felter chipped in with 10 points, all in the second half.

Both teams struggled mightily in the second quarter after a fast-paced opening period in which Kelly raced to a 21-18 lead. Each team managed just eight points in the second.

Scott Central sophomore Isaac Porter paced the Braves with 21 points, while senior Jeremy Johnson added 15, Avis White 11 and Ray Rogers 10.

Scott Central, whose 2-4 record after a 7-1 start, reflects an increasingly tougher schedule hosts Charleston on Friday. "We've just got to keep battling," said Beckwith. "It doesn't get any easier. We play a good schedule and, hopefully, that makes you better for your district tournament."

Surging Kelly, on the other hand, captured its fifth win in six starts and will likely be rewarded with the top seed in the upcoming Scott-Mississippi Conference Tournament, scheduled to open on Monday at Oran.

Kelly travels to Chaffee for a conference contest on Friday.