By Chris Parker
Last year, Skyline fell to eventual state champion Fair Grove in the Class 3 state semifinal round.
It was a loss that has weighed heavily on the minds of the returning players for the Tigers.
“We were talking about it and taking our anger from that (loss) we wanted to come back and win this. This is such a big deal for us,” Skyline senior Ashton Cooley said.
Standing in Skyline’s way of a trip to the Class 2 state title game was last year’s Class 2 state champion Tipton. The two teams faced off earlier this season with Skyline coming away with a five-point win.
The head-to-head win over Tipton, a No. 1 ranking in the state coaches poll for much of the season and dropping down from Class 3 to 2 had Skyline with high expectations entering the postseason.
“After you go (to the final four) last year and then you come down a class, everybody expects you to go back. There were games where that pressure probably got to us a little bit and we had to stop and regroup and just go play basketball,” Skyline head coach Kevin Cheek said.
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Tipton showed its state championship mettle taking a 20-18 lead at the break, but after regrouping at halftime, Skyline pulled away in the second half for a 47-42 win.
“We talked at halftime about one, we weren’t really trying to guard people we were just kind of in front of them. Then we talked about making plays for each other,” Skyline head coach Kevin Cheek said. “Then we came out in the second half and did a lot better job defensively.”
Things moved quickly in Skyline’s favor in the third quarter, as the defense fed the offense to the tune of a 17-7 advantage in the frame. The Tigers pressed the advantage into the fourth quarter opening up a 24-7 run at one point.
Their lead ballooned as large as 15 with 6:02 remaining in the game.
Tipton cut into the lead down the stretch, but never truly threatened Skyline.
Skyline forced 18 turnovers in the game. The Tigers were led by Ashlen Garrett’s 21 points and five steals. Kenzi Cheek had eight points and 11 rebounds. Shelby Redd scored in double figures for Skyline with 11 points.
The win returns Skyline to a familiar spot in the Class 2 state title game on Thursday at 4 pm. While Kevin Cheek has coached in many final fours and state title games, it will be a new experience with a special group of juniors that features his daughter Kenzi.
“This junior group is the same age as Kenzi. Kenzi is my daughter, but I watched (Ashlen Garrett) grow up and probably told her not to jump off Kenzi’s bed and hurt herself when she stayed all night. We sent Kenzie, Autumn (Baldwin) and that group of juniors over to Ashton’s for slumber parties. It is a special deal for me because I have always been around these kids and I have watched them grow up with Kenzi,” Cheek said.
The only thing standing in the way of Skyline and the program’s seventh state championship is Principia. Principia beat Norwood 37-25 in the first semifinal of the day led by 24 points and 14 rebounds from their star post player Dasia Scott.
Coach Cheek is emphasizing to his team to focus on one play at a time entering Thursday’s state championship game.
“I think this group I have right now is different from some other groups. Other groups just wanted to win. (This group) wants to win, but they want to win and be perfect. Sometimes it isn’t about being perfect, but it’s about doing the best you can at that moment. Sometimes when they aren’t perfect, they get irritated. Then we have to battle through and go to the next play,” Cheek said
Skyline (29-2) and Principia (23-7) will play for the Class 2 state championship at 4 pm on Thursday at Mizzou Arena.
