SCC runs its district title streak to three

~ The Braves set up a Class 1 sectional showdown with Bell City.

GIDEON, Mo. -- The Scott County Central boys basketball team did what coach David Heeb said no one expected of his team this season.

On Thursday night, the Braves knocked off Clarkton 88-77 to win its third straight district championship.

But the Class 1 District 1 title earned at Gideon was a little different, with Scott County Central's new coach, a sophomore transfer from Bell City, two other sophomores and a freshman leading the way.

Sophomore D.D. Gillespie, who helped lead Heeb's Bell City team to the state's final four in Class 1 last year, scored 25 points Thursday. Sophomore Caleb Johnson added 19 points, freshman Drew Thomas scored 16 and sophomore Richard Brownlee had 13.

That group and senior Josh Chamberlain and junior Pershard Owens have helped the Braves get to 16-13 this season and into Tuesday's sectional showdown with Bell City. The game will be 8:15 p.m. at Central Junior High in Cape Girardeau.

"D.D., Thomas, Chamberlain, Johnson and Owens should be commended for leading us to this win," Heeb said Thursday. "I am so proud of the kids because when we started out this season, not much was thought of us. The kids have battled all season, and tonight their hard work paid off."

Another key contributor was the 6-foot-3 Brownlee, who scored 10 of his 13 points in the third period, when the Braves went ahead for good on a 13-3 run that led to a 62-56 advantage just before the final period.

"Richard brought us back in the third quarter," Heeb said. "I am so proud of the young man because he has worked so hard to get to this point and to see him help us in such a big way is very satisfying."

Scott County Central put its lead into double figures with a 9-4 spurt to open the fourth, making the score 77-66. They led by at least six the rest of the way, scoring on several transition baskets.

"We knew coming into the game that our guards need to match the play of Clarkton's guards," Heeb said. "I feel tonight that we won that matchup of guard play. We took it right at them and played extremely hard."

The Braves were competitive on the boards, losing that battle 45-41. Johnson had 10 rebounds, Thomas grabbed eight and Gillespie six. Gillespie also had nine assists and three steals; Johnson had six assists.

The Braves had a scoring advantage of 21-3 from the free throw line, taking 32 shots to Clarkton's nine. That didn't sit so well with Reindeer coach Jason Long.

"Not taking anything away from Scott Central, because both teams were attacking the basket, but if you were at the game tonight, everyone saw what happened," he said.