The matchup between the four-seed and the five-seed is supposed to be a close game, but Southern Coffey County and Marmaton Valley took it to another level in Tuesday’s 40-36 SCC first-round of substate win.
“We played Marmaton Valley a week before last at home,” SCC coach True said. “It was the exact same type of game. It was pretty ugly with quite a few free throws. It really boiled down to who made the fewest mistakes.”
Neither was able to build more than a one-possession lead until the final eight seconds of the game when Avery Hall hit one of two foul shots to put the Titans up by the final margin.
“Avery did a great job,” True said. “ She’s been hampered by a knee injury for the last couple of years and really just got back.
“She has come up big for us the last couple of weeks.”
Hall made the shot that gave the Titans the lead just 28 seconds earlier.
Senior guard Kalyn Deal drove down to the right side of the basket with her team trailing 36-35. She pulled up surrounded by Wildcat defenders.
Deal wrapped a quick pass around a defender and across the lane to the waiting hands of her classmate Hall. Hall quickly shot the ball up against the backboard and it dropped through to give them the edge.
“When the game is on the line you want your seniors shooting,” True said.
On the ensuing Wildcat possession, Marmaton Valley fed their star Mackenzie Tynon. The senior got the ball on the right block and turned to shoot. Her shot bounced off the rim and missed.
Deal was quickly fouled and the point guard stepped to the line with the opportunity to push the lead to three.
Deep breath and Deal released her first free throw. The ball splashed through the net, without touching the rim.
Another deep breath and another free throw goes up. Again, the ball gets nothing but the bottom of the net and SCC had a 39-36 lead with 17 seconds left.
Those were Deal’s only two points of the game but they proved monumental.
“The girls stepped up and made a couple of big free throws,” True said.
On the next Wildcat possession with the game on the line, Maramaton Valley turned the ball over as Hall came up with a steal.
