Scott County Central boys basketball team reaches Class 2 state championship game

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- After scoring just two points in the first half against Crane in a Class 2 semifinal on Thursday at Mizzou Arena, Scott County Central junior Jeffery Porter was ready to take things into his own hands with the game and a chance to play for a second straight state title on the line.

The Braves held a nine-point lead at halftime but watched the Pirates slowly whittle that to four with 2 minutes, 36 seconds remaining in the contest.

Following a Crane 3-pointer and a SCC timeout, Porter said something in him clicked.

"It was just like a feeling I've never had. Don't know how to explain it," Porter said. "I knew this game was going to be close right down to the end, and I wanted us to take it. I fought for rebounds, drove and just knew I had to put my team in a position to take over at the end."

Porter scored on SCC's next possession to spark an 11-2 run, which helped the Braves secure a 60-49 victory over Crane and their second consecutive trip to a state championship.

The junior guard scored 12 of his 15 points in the fourth, including three baskets and two free throws in the final 1:29.

SCC will play for its sixth state championship in seven years when it plays Mid-Buchanan for the Class 2 title at 11 a.m. Saturday.

"Thirteen big points," SCC coach Frank Staple said about Porter's performance in the fourth. "He knows when we need a big bucket he needs to get the ball in his hands. But you know, it was all the kids. Drake came out and scored 11 points in the first half, and Matthew hitting big free throws. Javonta [Daniel] and Tre [Moore] playing the way they did was nice, too. Every single guy, even the ones on the bench made this a total team effort today."

SCC held a 29-21 lead at halftime, but Crane used a 14-6 run to tie the game at 35-35.

The Braves were called for traveling on their next possession, forcing Staple to call a timeout with 2:12 remaining in the third quarter.

"Obviously we had to go out and match up with them when they started hitting those shots," Staple said. "But we just had a simple game plan of keeping them out of the lane and contesting shots. Whether it was zone or it was man we had to keep them from driving to the basket and contest every shot. They just hit some shots, and that's what good teams do."

Javonta Daniel scored two straight baskets in the final minute of the third to push the Braves' lead to 39-35.

After a Crane free throw to begin the fourth, Porter scored SCC's next three points on a jumper and a free throw. Matthew Blissett scored the Braves' next six points, including four free throws and a layup to push the lead to 48-41 with 3:47 remaining.

"I knew we wanted to get that lead and keep it," Matt Blissett said. "So I had the mentality of keeping a calm head and just getting steals or whatever I could do to help my team get this W. Obviously my team needed me to make free throws too, so I was glad I could convert."

Crane fought back, using a 6-0 run to get within two points at 49-47 before Porter and Daniel combined to score the Braves' final 11 points.

Crane was held to just two points in the final 2:36 and did not come within two points for the remainder of the game.

"That's kind of been our M.O.," Crane coach Chris Hastings said. "We get off to slow starts, and then third quarter we try to climb back into it. Usually it works, but against a good, fundamental sound team like Scott County, you can only go so far trying to scrap back like that."

Staple said the Braves, who have been in close games before used it to their advantage in the final stretch of the game.

"I think a lot of that goes into it," Staple said about his team's desire to win in big-game situations. "Those last couple minutes of the game it's time to either crunch down and pull it out or you're going to go home. So the guys have been in that situation before, so we weren't nervous today. I think I was more nervous than the kids were. They just buckled down those last few plays and went on that run, and we're moving on."

Crane led 4-3 early on, but SCC rallied with an 8-2 run to take an 11-6 lead with 3:22 left in the first.

Porter scored his only basket of the first half at the 2:30 mark and, after a trey by the Pirates, Blissett scored to increase the lead to 15-9 with 1:49 left in the opening period.

Each team committed a turnover in the final minute before Javonta Daniel scored a layup and was fouled. The senior made his free throw to give the Braves an 18-9 lead at the end of the first.

A lack of rebounding and turnovers hurt SCC in the second.

Crane inbounded the ball to start the second quarter, and Zach Chastain scored off his own miss to start a 9-0 run that brought the Pirates to within one point.

Following two free throws from Daniel, Clay Stumpff hit his second 3 in as many minutes to tie the game at 21-21 with 3:03 left in the first half.

SCC recovered, ending the second on a 6-0 run.

The Braves had seven turnovers at halftime and Staple was not pleased with his team's offensive rebounding. The Braves were only out-rebounded 17-16, but many of those led to points for Crane.

"It was only 17-16, but out of those 17 rebounds, 11 of them were offensive boards for Crane," Staple said. "You can't give teams like that second-chance points, second opportunities because they'll make you pay, and I thought they did. When it comes down to it, that's all about toughness and want-to, and credit to Crane for just battling the mess out of us."

Daniel finished with a game-high 21 points to lead the Braves.

Hastings said the 6-foot-2 forward gave the Pirates fits defensively throughout the game.

"We were worried about him. It's been big guys that kill us all year -- every single year," Hastings said about Daniel. "Especially big, active guys who can move. They can catch that ball in the high post, take that one dribble -- power dribble. We didn't have an answer."

Crane 9 12 14 14 -- 49

Scott County Central 18 11 10 21 -- 60

CRANE (49) -- Clay Stumpff 17, Jake Sowell 14, Zach Chastain 13, Sam Sowell 3, Deven White 2. FG 27, FT 2-10, F 19. (3-pointers: Stumpff 5, Jake Sowell 2. Fouled out: Gold.)

SCC (60) -- Javonta Daniel 21, Jeffery Porter 15, Drake Kesler 11, Matt Blissett 10, Tre Moore 3. FG 24, FT 15-22, F 16. (3-pointers: Kesler 3. Fouled out: none.)