Defending state champ Scott County Central falls to Bloomfield in district final

CAMPBELL, Mo. -- Bloomfield did what not many teams can do Thursday night by taking out the defending Class 2 state champion Scott County Central Braves in the Class 2 District 1 tournament.

Bloomfield's 55-48 win marked its first district championship since 2009 and just its third in 49 years.

The Wildcats extended their winning streak to 14.

SCC had won its last district title games and were state champions six times in the last seven years.

"These guys have just rose to the occasion all year," Bloomfield coach Jason Karnes said, surrounded by Bloomfield supporters who made their way onto the court. "Nothing was different tonight. Just super proud of them."

A tight contest throughout, Bloomfield's victory drew closer to reality once SCC top player was no longer a factor.

All-stater Jeffery Porter fouled out of the game with 2:08 left in the fourth quarter and the game tied at 45.

The tip of the scales started there.

Porter, who's known for taking over fourth quarters and willing his team to wins, left the game with 19 points and his team without a leader. The Braves, who immediately turned the ball over in its first trip without their senior, came up empty on its next seven possessions, going over two minutes without a point.

"I just trusted my teammates," Porter said. "It happens. It was just one of those games."

SCC (21-8) didn't score again until Tyus Banks hit a meaningless three that simply made up the final.

"This was the first time that I can remember that our guys had to play without Jeff in crunch time," SCC coach Matt Cline said. "It was tough without their leader out there to help keep things under control."

Once Porter was confined to the bench, Bloomfield went 10 of 14 from the free throw line to close it out.

"That was huge," said Bloomfield's Timmy Hector, who led the Wildcats with 19 points. "Once he went out it really boosted us. We know he's their man that gets it in the fourth. So once he went out, it boosted our confidence even more and got us the win."

Porter, who made it his mission to attack the rim, drew contact and headed to the free throw line with his team down in the early stages of the fourth quarter, tying the game at 43-all at the 2:58 mark.

Porter's fourth foul sent Peyton Bell to the line, who hit the front end of his 1-and-1 but missed the second, to give Bloomfield a 44-43 Bloomfield lead with 2:44 to go.

An empty possession from the Braves led to another foul, this time from Keyth Blissett, who's fifth foul sent Bell to the line again. Bell, once again, made the front end but missed the second to give his team the 45-43 lead.

Two free throws from Tyus Banks tied the game at 45-all during the next possession, but Porter's fifth foul was looming.

"There was still a lot of time left and we still had to get stops, make free throws and get rebounds," Karnes said about Porter's departure. "Him going out obviously was a big part of the game."

Porter, who was held to seven points in the second half all coming in the fourth quarter, gave his team the lead with 5:52 remaining in the second quarter and Scott County Central led for the next 12 minutes and 58 seconds.

Their final lead was erased when Nathan Newell ran the floor, hit Vandiver with an up-and-under pass which led to a layup with 39 seconds left in the third for a 37-36 lead going into the fourth.

Bloomfield shot 14 for 21 from the free throw line in the fourth quarter outscoring the Braves 18-12 in the process.

SCC 7 20 9 12 -- 48

Bloomfield 11 13 13 18 -- 55

SCC (48) -- Tyus Banks 9, Deven Blackmon 7, Deantrell Beard 5, Garry Wilkerson 8, Jeffery Porter 19. FG 14 FT 14-23 F 23. (3-pointers: Banks 1, Beard 1, Wilkerson 2, Porter 2. Fouled out: Porter, Keyth Blissett.)

BLOOMFIELD (55) -- Tim Hector 19, Peyton Bell 7, Nathan Newell 5, Austin Bond 4, Tyler Battles 2, Noah Vandiver 11, Alex Gibbs 7. FG 15 FT 21-34 F 16. (3-pointers: Hector 4. Fouled out: Battles.)