Scott County Central boys basketball team takes first step toward third straight state title with win vs. Oak Ridge

~ Scott County Central defeated Oak Ridge 67-30 in the Class 1 District 2 final

DELTA -- Scott County Central's Otto Porter began and ended Class 1 District 2 championship night in superstar form.

Here's what the senior did in the first minute of the game, although he actually needed just 31 seconds to complete the sequence.

He hit a midrange jumper to open the scoring, then scored in the paint after his team forced a turnover and then immediately made an improbable steal and finished with a one-handed dunk while being fouled.

Then after the Braves completed a 67-30 victory over Oak Ridge, he signed autographs for more than a dozen people waiting for him outside the locker room.

"We just tried to set the tempo," Porter said with a smile when asked about his start.

Oak Ridge did its best to try to slow down that tempo early in the game. The Blue Jays held the ball for more than two minutes after Porter's dunk before senior Brett Thomas was fouled and made two free throws.

"We planned to slow it down, but everybody has that plan," Thomas said. "It's like trying to keep Nolan Ryan from throwing 95, but it doesn't happen. We were just trying to slow it down and keep it close."

Oak Ridge took just three shots from the field in the first quarter and made one.

"Early in the game, we really didn't want to shoot anything unless it was uncontested," Oak Ridge coach Adam Stoneking said. "But then they get you on your heels. They make you tired, they make you pay for it and you've got to start trying to play with them and you get in trouble."

Oak Ridge pulled to win 8-5 before the Braves went on a 17-0 run and never looked back.

"It kind of slows us down a little bit," Porter said about Oak Ridge's strategy. "We just try to find a way to speed it back up by scoring real fast. When we score, we've just got to play good defense on them and try to make them turn it over before they can set up the stall."

Porter finished with 32 points and 12 rebounds, while Reggie Woodson added 12 points.

SCC forced 25 turnovers while committing nine of their own, something the never-seem-satisfied Braves focused on after the game.

"We just turned the ball over a lot and missed a lot of opportunities to score," Porter said. "We've just got to play better defense.

"We was just throwing it away. Just shooting ourself in the foot. We've just got to complete those plays."

The Braves, who are the two-time defending Class 1 state champions, claimed their eighth consecutive district title. They will play District 1 champion Risco at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Dexter High School

Oak Ridge was led by Thomas with 11 points. The Blue Jays finished the season 23-6.

"The last two years they've had 11 losses," Stoneking said about his team. "The previous six or seven years they couldn't get 11 wins in a season. You can't be disappointed. You set a school record for wins last year. You set a school record for wins this year, and it's the first time you've had back-to-back 20 win seasons."

Oak Ridge 5 5 11 9 -- 30

SCC 14 19 22 12 -- 67

OAK RIDGE (30) -- Caleb Elam 3, Lucas Rohde 3, Jacob Light 2, Ryan Below 3, Kyle Rohde 6, Brett Thomas 11, Corvin Schoen 2. FG 10, FT 3-5, F 15. (3-pointers: Elam 1, L. Rohde 1, K. Rohde 2, Thomas 3. Fouled out: none)

SCOTT COUNTY CENTRAL (67) -- Stewart Johnson 6, Trey Johnson 4, Reggie Woodson 12, Lamarcus Steward 2, Otto Porter 32, Dominique Porter 7, Calvin Porter 4. FG 28, FT 11-13, F 13. (3-pointers: none. Fouled out: none)