YATES CENTER — It’s still way too small of a sample size, considering the schedule they’re facing, but Southern Coffey County High looks primed and ready for the 2013-14 basketball season.
For the second straight game, the Titans were suffocating on defense and opportunistic on offense.
The Titans took control of their opening round game in the Wildcat Winter Classic Monday against host Yates Center with a 15-2 run in the second period.
The 31-15 halftime lead steadily grew throughout the second half, as SCC rolled to a 68-42 victory.
The win lifts SCC’s record to 2-0 on the season. The game was Yates Center’s season opener.
“I couldn’t be more pleased with how the guys have been playing,” SCC head coach Brandt Miller said. “We really haven’t changed anything from what we’ve done in the past, but the guys are confident they can do things like jump into passing lanes.”
The Titans took control early in the second quarter after Yates Center’s Ryan Mentzer drained a 3-pointer to slice a four-point Wildcat lead to 12-11.
Josiah Witteman responded with a basket on SCC’s next possession, followed by two free throws less than 20 seconds later.
Austin McNett’s turnaround jumper for Yates Center cut SCC’s lead to 16-13 before Witteman scored twice more, the second on a nifty pass from Aaron True. Chism Newkirk drained two free throws before True followed with a 3-pointer and a steal and layup with 2:15 left in the half. Suddenly, the Titan lead was 27-13.
Witteman’s basket early in the third quarter pushed the lead to 20 for the first time at 35-15. Southern Coffey County maintained that margin through the rest of the period.
Yates Center showed signs of life in the fourth quarter. Kal Hamm scored six, while DeNoon and Nick Schemper added five points each as the Wildcats — who had scored a combined 23 points through three periods — scored 19 in the fourth quarter alone.
But it wasn’t nearly enough. True also was clicking on offense, scoring 13 of his game-high 28 points in the final eight minutes. Witteman also remained on target, scoring five of his 19 points in the fourth period.
“They really tried to pound the ball inside on us, and I thought we did a nice job of disrupting that,” Miller said. “Our post players did a great job on defense. We didn’t get much of a chance to post up on offense, but everybody did a nice job of getting open. We shot pretty well.”
DeNoon’s 13 points led the Wildcats. Hamm and Drake Busteed followed with six points each. Schemper and McNett both scored five.
The Titans resume tournament play tonight against Sedan in Yates Center’s east gymnasium. Tip-off is around 8 o’clock. The Wildcats resume play Thursday, also against Sedan, at 8 p.m. in the east gym.
The final round, based on results from pool play, is Friday.
