Lost in Scott County Central's gaudy point totals were early signs of life from Newtown-Harris.

SCC scored a Show-Me Showdown record 64 first-half points, and the Braves' 34 first-quarter points tied them for second. Their total of 98 places them fifth and second to SCC's own state record.

The Braves scored 100 in a 1990 semifinal victory against Pattonsburg, an HDC Conference member like Newtown-Harris.

But Newtown-Harris really did weather the tide in the game's early moments.

Scott County Central's Drew Thomas hit a 19-foot jump shot from the left wing on the game's opening possession, but the Tigers answered with a quick end-to-end layup for T.J. Ireland to create a tie at 2. Newtown-Harris again pulled even at 4 before point guard Canaan Fairley picked up second personal foul only 1 minute, 40 seconds into the contest.

Taking away the sure-handed senior was the start of the Tigers' ballhandling problems that led to 31 turnovers -- 12 in the fourth quarter.

SCC's Bobby Hatchett hit a quick jump shot, grabbed a steal and converted that into a layup and an 8-4 Braves' lead. Again, Newtown-Harris responded and actually took a 9-8 lead after Ireland hit a 3-pointer from right baseline.

SCC went on to finish the quarter on a 26-5 run in an avalanche Newtown-Harris couldn't escape or reverse. The Tigers managed to cut the deficit inside of 20 for parts of the second quarter before eventually falling into a 30-plus-point hole for most of the second half.

"The only thing we knew how to do was just keep attacking, keep fighting, keep scratching, keep clawing," Fairley said.