Coach says defense key to SCC's title defense

~ The Braves have have won all of their postseason games by at least 31 points

Dadeville boasts a better record.

It features four players who average at least 11 points per game.

And to listen to Scott County Central boys basketball coach Kenyon Wright, his Braves will need a stellar game just to stay with the Bearcats.

"I think we're just going to have to go and play good defense," Wright said. "If we go out and play good defense, and the defense we've played the last couple of games, I think we can play with them. They always say good defense wins championships."

Scott County Central's Otto Porter shoots over Richland's Andrew Thorton during the first quarter of the Class 1 District 3 championship game earlier this month in Delta, Mo. (Fred Lynch)

The Braves will try to take one more step toward defending their Class 1 state crown when they face Dadeville in today's 6:40 p.m. state semifinal at the Hearnes Center in Columbia, Mo.

The Braves will play in the Hearnes Center instead of Mizzou Arena, where they won the state title last year. The Missouri State High School Activities Association is using both arenas this year. The Braves said they don't feel slighted having to play in the older gym.

"I feel more honored to play in the old one where most of our uncles and family members have played at," SCC sophomore Dominique Porter said. "I feel more honored than cheated. Mostly all of our state titles came from there."

The Bearcats enter with a 29-1 record and winners of 11 straight. Their lone loss came against Weaubleau on Feb. 9. Weaubleau finished its season 21-5 after losing in the semifinals of the Class 2 District 11 tournament.

"Their guards are pretty quick," Wright said about Dadeville. "They can shoot. They drive well. They're pretty solid guards. They don't have a ton of weaknesses."

SCC enters with a 27-2 record. The Braves dropped their season opener to Dallas Lincoln, one of the top teams in Dallas at 28-4. They won their next 15, including the Southeast Missourian Christmas Tournament, before falling to Notre Dame 71-62 at home Jan. 26. They have won 12 straight since that setback.

Zachary Medley leads Dadeville's offensive attack. The 6-foot guard averages 17.1 points per game and made 56 3-pointers. Brock Toler, a 6-2 forward, averages 16.3 points and 6.7 rebounds.

Dadeville's tallest player is 6-6 Andrew Vanhooser, who averages 5.1 points and 4.3 rebounds off the bench.

"They're real strong," Wright said. "Their guards can shoot."

Junior Otto Porter, the Braves' 6-8 forward who is drawing interest from multiple elite Division I programs, plans to use his superior height to attack the Bearcats.

"It's a big advantage," he said of his height. "Not that many people in high school are going to be my size."

Porter enters averaging 28 points and 13.3 rebounds, while Bobby Hatchett averages 20.3 points and 6.7 assists. The two Braves standouts have played in the last two final fours.

"The experience is a big thing when it comes to this time of year," Wright said. "But it's all about how focused and how ready you are to get in these games. You look at St. Francis Borgia is 30-0 and gets beat in the [Class 4] state final game. You can't never tell."

The Braves will try to use their pressure defense to create problems for the Bearcats. That plan has worked so far in the postseason. Delta played the Braves the closest since the start of district play. The Bobcats lost to the Braves by 31 points. The Braves' average margin of victory in the playoffs is 41.5 points.

"We figure it's coming down to crunch time and everything's got to be right," Braves junior Calvin Porter said. "Everything's got to be perfect. We've got to be on top of our game. Everything we did, just go hard."