Bravettes falter again to Naylor in Class 1 Sectional

sports@standard-democrat.com

BLOOMFIELD -- Having already suffered a 19-point loss to Naylor earlier in the season the Scott County Central Bravettes knew it take their best game of the season pull off the upset during its Class 1 sectional.

For two quarters the Bravettes gave the Lady Eagles all they wanted and more, but a rough second half propelled Naylor to its fifth straight quarterfinal appearance, 44-33.

"We knew we had to bring our 'A' game to compete with them," Scott Central head coach Matt Limbaugh said. "I though the first half we really came out and were aggressive, attacked the rim and got shots we needed. In the second half we just couldn't get that big shot to fall.

"That's basketball. We lost our aggression and we stopped attacking. Naylor's defense got a little bit more suffocating."

Thursday sectional was a rematch of last years in which Naylor ended Scott Central's season 65-51 to advance to the quarterfinals. Most the girls on that Bravette squad were back this season for one more go-round with the Lady Eagles.

Things went a lot better this time around for Scott Central as they took a three points lead in the second quarter settling for a 26-26 tie at halftime.

Four minutes into the second half the two teams remained deadlocked, but a steal and a layup from Naylor senior Darby Pruett shifted the momentum in her team's favor with 3:37 left in the third quarter.

Scott Central senior Johniqua Fort puts up a shot against Naylor in Thursday's Class 1 sectional matchup at Bloomfield High School. (Brent Shipman Photo)

Scott Central senior Johniqua Fort puts up a shot against Naylor in Thursday's Class 1 sectional matchup at Bloomfield High School. (Brent Shipman Photo)

Pruett's basket ignited a string of three straight buckets by the Lady Eagles, capped by a Lauren Rich 3-pointer. This 7-0 run was Naylor's best of the night and put them ahead 36-29 with 2:14 left in the third.

"At halftime we went in and talked about having to get after it or we're going to let this slip through our fingers," Lady Eagles' head coach Gene Deckard said. "We came out and I think we played just a little harder and with a little more intensity. We got a few turnovers and fortunately opened up a little lead and got it done."

Naylor maintained their seven-point edge heading into the fourth, where a long string of empty possessions by the Bravettes allowed them to open on a 6-0 run.

It wasn't until only 4:46 remained in the contest that a Madison Avance basket broke a five minute scoreless streak by Scott Central to keep her team within 11 points, 44-33.

Before Scott Central could start to find a rhythm the Lady Eagles went into clock killing mode with just over four minutes to play.

With the ball in speedster Brooklyn Urich hands the Lady Eagles went on to burn much of the final four minutes off the clock as the Bravettes struggled to foul.

In the few times they got the ball back on a turnover or a missed free throw Scott Central came up empty handed on the other end of the court. In all the two team played a scoreless final four minutes, forty five seconds to allow Naylor to hold for the win.

"Brooklyn is so quick that if we keep it spaced out she's just a nightmare to try and stay within five feet of," Deckard said. "Even though she got a little tangled up (at one point)and they called a walk on her she basically run off over a minute by herself and basically it was ballgame (after that).

"We've trying to get her to do that all year long and tonight she went out there and did it. When she want to she has a motor."

Scoring six points in the first quarter alone, Pruett led Naylor (15-9) with 14 points. Shayna Tharp and Charity McCoy scored 10 and nine points respectively.

In her final game as a Bravette, senior Mikaela Blissett scored a game-high 16 points, going 4 of 6 at the free throw line. Avance, a freshman, was second on the squad with nine points while senior Johniqua Fort contributed five points and senior Abby Ross three.

"We needed to be aggressive and want our girls to want to take the shots," Limbaugh said. "We need them to get to the lane as much a possible. At first we came out with enough intensity to win this game and we just couldn't quite get it for four quarters."

With the loss came an end to the career of a group of seniors that returned the Bravettes program back to prominence. After struggling to field a varsity squad just three years Scott Central has now won to two straight district titles and back-to-back Scott-Mississippi Conference championships.

They finish the season at 16-10 and went a combined 36-17 over the past two years.

That group of seniors include Blissett, Fort, Ross and Derien Ditto.

"I'm extremely proud of these girls," Limbaugh said. "These four seniors have turned the program around here at Scott Central. Girls basketball is respected again and these four seniors are a big part of it.

"We're going to miss them terribly and I wish they could have went out on a better note."

Scott Central 11 15 5 2 - 33

Naylor 11 15 12 6 - 44

SCOTT CENTRAL (33) -- Mikaela Blissett 16, Johniqua Fort 5, Abby Ross 3, Maddison Avance 9. FG 12, FT 8-14, F 13. (3-pointers: Ross 1. Fouled out: Blissett, Ditto.)

NAYLOR (44) -- Madison Gargac 5, Shayna Tharp 10, Lauren Rich 6, Darby Pruett 14, Charity McCoy 9. FG 17, FT 6-10, F 10. (3-pointers: Tharp 2, Rich 2. Fouled out: none.)