Grogan sparks Kelly to a decisive win at SCC

SIKESTON — Senior Night turned sour for Scott County Central as visiting Kelly rained down triples in the third quarter, led by sharpshooter Kristin Grogan, to claim a decisive 63-42 victory at the Ronnie Cookson Gymnasium.

“We did a good job all-around,” said Kelly coach Matthew Blissett. “I am happy with the ball movement and how people came into the game and contributed. We rotated well and everyone is getting on board with what we want to do. Everyone is positive and happy right now. It’s a good environment for us to be in, and I’m happy with how the whole team is looking.”

Jada Griggs scored a game-high 20 points to lead the Lady Hawks (13-10) over the Bravettes (9-13), while Grogan finished with 18 and buried four 3-pointers in the pivotal period, helping to extend the team’s advantage from a slight lead to a comfortable margin.

Kelly�s Kayleigh Holman (23) scores during a 63-42 win at Scott County Central on Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024. Dennis Marshall ~ Standard-Democrat

“I was happy with ]Grogan’s] performance,” Blissett said. “We’re going to need her to stretch the floor like that, especially against a zone. We put that trust in her because we know she can knock them down when she’s open. We all have faith that those shots are going to fall. It’s just about her staying confident.”

SCC boasted a slightly higher shooting percentage (32 percent) compared to Kelly (30 percent), but the Lady Hawks dominated on the boards with a 39-22 advantage and forced 29 turnovers while committing just 19. 

“It was a good win because this was a night where we struggled on offense,” Blissett said. “We missed some close layups and some open shots, but rebounding has been a big focus we’ve had lately. So it was good to see that pay off tonight. I’m really happy about that.

Scott County Central's Nikki Adams (12) and Kelly's Paige Klipfel (33) battle for a rebound on Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024.Dennis Marshall ~ Standard-Democrat

“The girls are starting to realize that the game is won on the defensive side of the court,” he continued. “We don’t win by putting the ball in the hoop. We win by stopping our opponents from putting the ball in the hoop.”

Kelly extended their lead to a commanding 24 points in the second half, but SCC mounted a late comeback, cutting the deficit to 12 points in the fourth quarter. However, that was the closest the Bravettes would get. 

“We had spurts where we played well, but it was just a sloppy game both ways,” said SCC coach Andrew Pullen. “[Grogan] came out hot and hit those 3-pointers and that was the difference in the ballgame. We have to get healthy. We also need to make a few little tweaks, but the biggest thing is just hitting shots.”

Kelly�s Ava LeGrand (22) drains a 3-pointer during a 63-42 win at Scott County Central on Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024. Dennis Marshall ~ Standard-Democrat

SCC may have fallen short, but the contributions of seniors Maddy Carlisle and Raegan Evans are undeniable.

“I want to give a big shoutout to my two seniors,” Pullen said. “Maddy Carlisle, she’s out for the season with a knee injury and Raegan Evans. Both have been four-year players for me. They stuck it out through the ups and the downs. I appreciate them. They never quit. We had some years where we didn’t win many games, but those two kept pushing and showed up to work every day.”

SCC will host Oak Ridge (13-10) on Saturday, Feb. 10, while Kelly will host Class 1, No. 3 Delta (21-1) on Monday, Feb. 12. 

__KELLY 63, SCOTT COUNTY CENTRAL 42__

Kelly 9 14 22 18 — 63

SCC 7 7 15 13 — 42

Kelly (63) — Jada Griggs 20, Kristin Grogan 18, Ava LeGrand 10, Brooke Dirnberger 6, Kayleigh Holman 6, Balire Riley 2, Paige Klipfel 1. FG: 22. FT: 13-17. F: 13. (3-pointers: Grogan 4, Griggs 1, LeGrand 1. Fouled out: None.)

Scott County Central (42) — Nikki Adams 16, Camarie Perdue 11, Raegan Evans 7, De’Laya Banks 3, Skyla Skeen 3, Ellie Britt 2. FG: 17. FT: 4-10. F: 10. (3-pointers: Perdue 2, Evans 1, Banks 1. Fouled out: None.)