Skyline defense blitzes Scotland County in Class 2 semifinals

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When the Skyline Tigers lock in defensively, which they’ve done in their last two postseason games, watch out.

Skyline exhausted Scotland County with a relentless full-court press throughout the game, forcing 26 turnovers amid a 46-22 victory in the Class 2 girls’ state semifinals Thursday night at Hearnes Center in Columbia.

All this coming just five days after Skyline shut down Pierce City for a 67-24 win in the quarterfinal round.

“Defensively, (tonight is) probably as well as we’ve played… I’d like to say all year, but that kind of scares me if I say something like that,” said Skyline coach Kevin Cheek. “Tonight was probably the first night in a while where we pressured the basketball the way that I thought we should pressure the basketball.”

Skyline (30-2 overall) faces Adrian (30-1 overall) in the Class 2 state title game at 8:10 p.m. Saturday night at Mizzou Arena in Columbia. Adrian’s lone loss this season was to Skyline, 82-32, in a neutral-site game in mid-December.

At stake for Skyline is the sixth state title in program history and first since 2008.

PHOTOS: SKYLINE VS. SCOTLAND COUNTY

“This is a special thing because not many people can come here and experience what we’ve experienced,” said Skyline senior McKinsey Mountain. “To come this many times, it’s a blessing. We are excited about (Saturday).”

Kaylee DaMitz scored a game-high 20 to lead Skyline on Thursday, but it was her feisty on-ball defense that helped the Black and Red Tigers take control. Early in the game, she helped force a 10-second call and let out a jubilant roar after the call was made.

“It was in the moment and we were trying to create our own energy because our fans were outnumbered tonight,” DaMitz said. “We wanted to keep our momentum going and I was just kind of… in the moment.”

It was Scotland County’s first loss to an in-state team this season. Skyline forced Scotland County’s primary ball-handlers, Calesse Bair and Abi Feeney, into seven turnovers apiece.

“I’ve never seen or played against anything like that (press),” Feeney said. “I have huge respect for that team and the way their defense works. I’ve never played against anything like that. It’s the hardest thing, I’d have to say, I’ve ever done in my career – trying to bring the ball up the court against that press.”

After leading 28-15 at halftime, Skyline held Scotland County to just two points in the third quarter, that lone SC basket coming just 23 seconds into the second half.

Bair’s basket at the 6:08 mark of the fourth quarter – her first and only points of the game – ended a 14-0 run by Skyline and gave Scotland County its first points in nearly nine minutes and 30 seconds of game time.

By then, Skyline still led 44-19 and had put the game out of reach.

“(Skyline) goes eight or nine deep and plays such fundamental defense,” said Scotland County coach Cory Shultz. “They’re up in your face, turning you when you dribble, working you every step you take down the floor. They rotate, they trap out of it. You try to throw it over the top, someone’s waiting there, too.”

Bair entered the game averaging nearly 19 points per game for Scotland County.

“We thought she was probably their best athlete, so we stuck our best overall athlete (Autumn Garrett) on their best athlete and said, ‘Go make a play, kiddo,’” Cheek said. “I was really proud of Garrett. She really accepted that challenge. It was something she wanted to do.”

Feeney and Chelsea Wood scored eight apiece to lead Scotland County.

Percentage wise, Skyline (37 percent) and Scott County (36 percentage) had similar results from the field. But Skyline attempted 21 more field goal attempts (17-for-46) than Scotland County (9-for-25).

You can thank Skyline’s press and ensuing half-court defense for that.

“Even if we didn’t get what we wanted out of the trap and we didn’t get the first steal, we got back and protected the rim,” Cheek said. “Even if you got (the press) broke, then you still have to slow down and try to run some offense.”

Scotland County, located in the northeast corner of the state, was making its first state final four appearance in program history.

Skyline 46, Scotland County 22
Skyline 16 12 12 6 — 46
Scotland County 8 7 2 5 — 2

Skyline – Kaylee DaMitz 20, Autumn Garrett 8, Savannah Owen 7, McKinsey Mountain 6, Chloe Cole 3, Valen Logan 2
Scotland County – Aby Feeney 8, Chelsea Wood 8, Maddie Brassfield 3, Calesse Bair 2, Ashleigh Clark 1

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