February 15, 2017
SCC's inside presence too much for Scott City despite Keller's 41
SIKESTON -- Scott City's Dylan Keller didn't make it easy, but the Scott County Central Braves were able to stay undefeated in conference play. The Braves held off a shorthanded Scott City team 84-69 despite Keller's phenomenal shooting display at Scott County Central High School Tuesday night to sweep both the Scott-Mississippi Conference tournament and regular season championship with a perfect 7-0 conference record...
By Chris Pobst ~ Standard Democrat
SIKESTON -- Scott City's Dylan Keller didn't make it easy, but the Scott County Central Braves were able to stay undefeated in conference play.
The Braves held off a shorthanded Scott City team 84-69 despite Keller's phenomenal shooting display at Scott County Central High School Tuesday night to sweep both the Scott-Mississippi Conference tournament and regular season championship with a perfect 7-0 conference record.
Keller topped out at 41 points. He shot 54 percent (15 for 28) from the floor, which included 8 for 14 from 3-point range. His stepback jumper proved deadly and most of his makes came just a few steps from inside the half court line with SCC hands in his face.
"He came out tonight and just drilled them. He was on," Scott County Central coach Matt Cline said. "A couple of them were pretty well challenged and he put them in there. He shot the ball well."
Keller's range may have been limitless against quality defense, but so was Scott Central's dominance in the paint.
The Braves countered Keller's outburst by pounding the ball inside and controlling the boards.
All but 18 of Scott Central's points were either inside or just outside the paint. They out-rebounded the Rams 41-25, scored 19 second chance points and had three players with double-doubles in points and rebounds.
Deantrell Beard was the leader for SCC under the basket scoring a team-high 28 points on 72 percent (13 of 18) shooting from the floor and had 11 rebounds. Tyus Banks added 18 points and led the Braves with 13 boards. TJ Davis had 13 points and 10 rebounds for the Braves.
"[Inside] was the difference," Cline said. "We did a good job of pounding the ball in... About every time we got it in and attacked the glass, good things happened."
Scott Central (20-6) put its inside advantage to good use early by building a 19-11 lead in the first quarter, but then Keller caught fire.
The senior drained three consecutive threes each one more impressive than the next during the final 1:13 of the first quarter. He pulled up from beyond NBA range, knocked down one shot with a hand in his face and even double-pumped one that banked off the glass.
Keller hit four 3-pointers, scored 18 points and his nine straight to end the first quarter gave the Rams, who were without their second-leading scorer Braden Cox due to illness, a 20-19 lead.
"It's no secret. We go as [Keller] goes," Scott City coach Mark Dannenmueller said. "We knew we were going to have to shoot well to compete with them and for the most part we did."
Keller saw a heavy dose of coverage in the second quarter, but still scored 10 points to finish with 28 in the first half behind 6 of 9 shooting from behind the arc.
SCC rotated Banks, Deven Blackmon and Keyth Blissett, who returned after missing the last four games, to try and deny Keller from even getting a hand on the ball.
"I didn't want him to catch the ball," Cline said. "We didn't want to wait until he crossed half court. He was on fire... He looked like Larry Bird tonight."
With Keller somewhat slowed, the Braves continued to do their work inside and got a key 3-pointer of their own from Garry Wilkerson.
Wilkerson's three untied a 35-35 game and sparked a 10-2 run to end the first half. Blissett banged in a corner three just before the halftime buzzer sounded to give SCC a 45-36 advantage.
"That kind of broke our backs a little," Dannemueller said. "I told the kids at halftime that if they can hit some threes our chances are slim and all we can do is try to compete with them in the paint. They have some big boys down there that know how to finish."
Keller scored another 10 points in the third quarter but the Braves pushed its lead to 64-54 by the end of the frame.
During the fourth, Scott City, particularly Keller, had no more magic to unleash.
After Scott Central missed three of their first four shots, they made six straight during a 15-0 run. Banks scored 10 of his 18 in the fourth quarter and Beard added seven.
The Braves were 10 for 18 from the floor and led by as many as 23 during the final period. Scott City was 5 for 19 and Keller managed three points on 1 of 6 shooting.
"We ran out of gas," Dannenmueller said. "When you're playing a team like [SCC] and you're fighting so hard, we were just trying to hang on. You keep pounding people inside and you're eventually going to get breakdowns."
No other player for Scott City reached double figures. Joe Panagos was the Rams' next highest scorer with nine.
"We don't have Braden and we were tying to make up his 16 points a game," Dannenmueller said. "We struggle scoring outside of those two... We knew that coming in and we just needed a few more guys to hit some shots early."
The Rams finish the regular season with a 4-3 conference record and 13-13 overall. They are the three-seed in the upcoming Class 2, District 2 tournament at the Perry Park Center in Perryville and will take on No. 6 Bismarck in the first round on Saturday at 4:15 p.m.
Scott Central's final regular season game will by Thursday when they host New Madrid County Central.
After that, the Braves are the No. 2 seed in the Class 1, District 1 tournament and will play seventh-seeded North Pemiscot in the first round on Saturday at 5:30 p.m., at Gideon High School.
Scott City 20 16 18 15 -- 69
SCC 19 26 19 20 -- 84
SCOTT CITY (69) -- Dylan Keller 41, Jeremiah Tims 1, Eli Berry 6, Spencer Stratman 4, Sam Elders 4, Joe Panagos 9, Casey Medlin 4. FG 25 FT 10-17 F 12. (3-pointers: Keller 8, Panagos 1. Fouled out: none.)
SCOTT COUNTY CENTRAL (84) -- Deantrell Beard 28, Tyus Banks 18, Keyth Blissett 7, Marshohn Woods 2, Deven Blackmon 10, Landon Glueck 1, Garry Wilkerson 5, TJ Davis 13. FG 38 FT 3-9 F 14. (3-pointers: Beard 1, Blissett 1, Blackmon 2, Wilkerson 1. Fouled out: none.)
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