Scott County Central boys basketball team uses press to put the squeeze on opponents

SIKESTON, Mo. -- The storied past of the Scott County Central boys basketball team has a wealth of history, including a systematic pressure defense that began years before many can remember.

Perhaps the only thing missing is a patent.

But don't be fooled. SCC obviously didn't invent its notorious 1-2-2 press, which has haunted opponents for decades and given way to the program's years of state championship experience.

Like many things at SCC, coach Frank Staple said it all traces back to the past.

"It's just something that coach [Ronnie] Cookson started when he came here way back when, and it's just something that's just been brought on from generation to generation," said Staple, who's in his third year at the helm. "The kids start out at a young age running the press, and it just continues through high school."

The Braves made the move to Class 2 this season and have won 16 straight games en route to their second consecutive trip to the final four. SCC will take on Crane, the No. 1 team in its class, in a state semifinal at noon Thursday at Mizzou Arena in Columbia, Missouri.

While averaging 75 points per game has taken the spotlight in the Braves' successful season, it all starts on the defensive end. SCC has only seven players on its roster and is giving up an average of 53 points per game.

"It just shows the amount of hard work we put into it," SCC senior Matthew Blissett said.

The 1-2-2 press is an aggressive defensive approach but is generally known as one of the safer forms of press. It allows two players to defend the back end, while the other three players work together to trap and prevent the ball from moving to the middle of the floor.

The defense usually operates in three-fourths of the court but can also be an effective half-court strategy.

"We try to wreak a lot of havoc out of it, get a lot of pressure, trap hard on the sidelines and cause a lot of turnovers. ... When you have athletes, it really fits that system well," Staple said. "They have to work really hard to stay in shape because it's a really aggressive defense, but you've got to be quick to run it effectively."

Staple said conditioning is perhaps the most important element in running an effective press.

"They do a lot of running," Staple said. "You've got to be in great shape. You have to know how to play defense without your hands. You've got to be able to slide your feet and bend your knees, take your correct angles. There's a lot that goes into it, but it all boils down to the fact that if you're not in shape, then you're wasting your time."

Besides being a physically demanding defense, Blissett said there's also a mental component.

"We've also got to be smart and make the right plays," Blissett said. "You don't want to foul, but you've got to be able to put the right amount of pressure on them."

With only two players on the Braves' bench, foul trouble is always an issue.

In effect, SCC has been running its half-court defense more than usual this season, and senior Javonta Daniel said it's added a new wrinkle for which opponents have to prepare.

"We throw people off by coming out in our man, and then once we hit them with that press, they're like, 'Oh, we didn't prepare for this,'" Daniel said. "It can kind of be unexpected."

Nevertheless, the Braves returned to running their press in last week's postseason wins over Thayer and Valle Catholic.

Staple said he expects to have a full arsenal prepared for this week's action.

"Right now we're just going with whatever works best," Staple said. "We'll play a team, Crane, that's an up-tempo team that has really good guards, so we have a few things up our sleeve. But it's definitely something that we will be prepared to use if need be."