By Tyler F. Thompson (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
ASH GROVE, Mo. — The Skyline Tigers entered Monday’s Southwest Conference matchup at Ash Grove unbeaten in conference play.
After the 62-54 victory, the Tigers — now 22-3 — are rolling as they concluded the conference season unbeaten.
Familiar territory for the Tigers.
This makes back-to-back-to-back conference championships for Skyline (Mid-Lakes Conference in 2022-23, 2023-24).
“Moving into a new conference, it took us a little bit to get comfortable with different styles, different coaching styles,” head coach Kevin Cheek said.
Senior guard Ashlen Garrett scored a team-high 20 points in the win, and as for the conference title, while the defense hit a lull late in second half, the title comments on team’s drive, no matter what the scoreboard showed.
“I think it had a lot to do with our defense,” Garrett said of winning the Southwest Conference. “Tonight, our defense wasn’t the best, we can admit that. We have been working a lot on it in practice.”
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While the defense was exposed some in the fourth quarter, it was more about mentality than physicality.
“It was not our best, but we were able to pull through,” Garrett said. “We definitely will be working on that a lot more.”
Entering the fourth quarter with the commanding 54-39 lead, the Tigers hit a wall as Ash Grove’s Brooke Nicholson nailed a 3-pointer.
Cora Duit then knocked down the pair from the charity stripe, and the Pirates utilized their own trap game to gain added offensive opportunities.
After a player-control foul, Myah Johnson drained the trey, and the Pirates found themselves down 54-47
As the Pirates climbed back in it, their 2-3 defense ignited the run, as the Tigers did not score a point for more than five minutes.
Garrett said there wasn’t any drastic change to the game plan.
Said Garrett: “We kind of lost it there [fourth quarter]. They did go into a trap, a zone. We managed to get through that.”
In the opening half, the Tigers, thanks in part to a smothering 2-1-2 press, forced 10 turnovers in just eight minutes of play.
The Pirates committed 19 turnovers on the night.
“Our defense is a really big deal in games, especially when not every shot is going in. We have had a couple of games where we learned from that, and tonight was just one of those examples,” Garrett said.
Trapping and pressing is the Tigers’ M.O., and the offensive separation it ignited was crucial to the win.
“Yeah, that is usually how we start games,” Garrett said.
Without the early lead in the first three quarters, the narrative may have favored the host.
The Tigers now prepare for the 12-9 Helias Catholic Crusaders, whom they will play Friday to end the regular season.
Scoring for Skyline: Ashlen Garrett – 20; Sadie Reed – 5; Sage Reed – 3; Autumn Baldwin – 3; Shelby Reed – 3; Jayln Barb – 6; Kenzi Cheek – 18; Jenna Hunt – 4.
Scoring for Ash Grove: Bristol Lathrop – 17; Brooke Nicholson – 8; Alivia Duit – 6; Myah Johnson – 3; Cora Duit – 11; Millison Sapp – 9.
