nstincts might say find Rylee Carr, pass her the ball and simply move out of the way.
Platte County freshman point guard Clare Stephens goes up for a shot at the end of the first quarter Tuesday night against Belton.
Platte County’s star senior guard continues to shine and turned in another season-high performance for scoring in Tuesday’s 50-36 win over Belton at Pirate Fieldhouse. She put up 26 points — one better than she produced five days earlier at Truman — and posted a double-double with 11 rebounds.
Add in a 21-point showing Thursday in a 50-22 demolition of Raytown, and Carr has scored 19 or more in five straight games.
“When she gets hot, she gets hot,” Platte County freshman guard Clare Stephens said of Carr.
The only full-time returning starter, Carr finally seems to have found footing as the focal point of Platte County’s rebuild this season. The Pirates have won 8 of the past 12 overall to move within two games of .500.
Platte County (10-12) still ended up with the No. 4 seed in the upcoming Class 5 District 8 and hosts Winnetonka (7-15) in the first round on March 2. Confidence also continues to build that Pirates, can compete with top three seeds — Kearney (17-5), Lincoln Prep (16-9) and St. Pius X (6-18).
“Winning just back-to-back or just getting good wins are definitely a big confidence and morale booster,” Stephens said. “It makes practice the next day so much better, so much more fun. WE get more work done. I feel like we’re just getting better as a team.”
Platte County sophomore guard Rose Forbes takes a shot against Belton on Tuesday night at Pirate Fieldhouse.
The Belton win showed the recent blueprint for success.
Carr scored Platte County’s first five points, including an initial 2-0 lead. However, Belton junior guard Scarlett Antonides, who finished with a team-high 17 points, banked in an early 3-pointer, and Platte County didn’t go in front again until sophomore forward Madeline Arthurs hit a pair of free throws with under 3 minutes left in the first quarter.
That came as part of a lengthy stretch of stops that helped Platte County put up eight unanswered points.
Platte County went into the second quarter up 13-7 after Stephens ended up in transition with time running out in the first quarter. She pulled up and floated in a bank shot at the buzzer to build on the momentum.
“All I thought was just put the ball in, get it up, and if I can’t, it is what is but just put the ball up,” said Stephens, who finished with four points, four rebounds, two steals and two assists in another encouraging performance as she continues to hold down a starting spot at point guard.
Belton scored only five points in the second quarter as the deficit ballooned.
Platte County senior guard Addie Ayers, a three-year contributor and the only player outside of Carr with significant prior experience at the varsity level, hit a pair of 3-pointers and sophomore guard Rose Forbes added another as the lead grew to 26-11.
Platte County senior guard Addie Ayers takes a shot against Belton on Tuesday night at Pirate Fieldhouse.
Arthurs (four points, six rebounds and four steals), Forbes and Stephens played a big role against Belton with junior starting forward Macy Doll and sophomore starting guard Millie Parker limited to just one point combined.
“I thought after the first couple of minutes of the first quarter through halftime, we played pretty good basketball,” Platte County coach Eric Mitchell said. “We’ve had stretches this last month where we’re playing really, really well and then we just have some moments where it’s not very good. We’re just trying to limit those moments where we’re not very good.”
Carr scored 17 of Platte County’s 22 points in the second half, but struggles on free throws (14 of 24) helped Belton stay alive. The visitors pulled within 39-27, but Ayers hit a 3-pointer from the left corner with 5 minutes, 20 seconds left in regulation to provide a big answer.
Belton closed within 10 multiple times and held possession with a chance to pull within single digits but couldn’t stop Carr in the pivotal moments.
Ayers finished with 12 points and hit three 3-pointers. That ended an uncharacteristic stretch for her of two games without a shot made from beyond the arc.
Platte County sophomore forward Madeline Arthurs dribbles upcourt against Belton on Tuesday at Pirate Fieldhouse.
“We have relied a lot on Addie and Rylee offensively this season,” Mitchell said. “I know she’s probably been a little frustrated that the ball hadn’t been going in the hole as easy as she’d like it to, and she hit some really good shots tonight. She did what a shooter has to do: just keep shooting. Dust yourself off and get going.”
Platte County 50, Raytown 20
The Blue Jays scored only two points in the first half, one in each quarter on free throws, in Thursday’s conference matchup in Raytown.
Platte County improved to 10-12 overall and 9-3 in White Division play with just one week left in the regular season. The Pirates led 17-1 at halftime and 37-2 at halftime with Carr tallied a game-high 21 points to go with a team0-high seven rebounds and outscored Raytown by herself, while Ayers added 12 on four 3-pointers.
Parker and freshman reserve guard Emma Schank finished with seven points apiece, while Forbes (three), Doll (three) and Arthurs (two) followed and rounded out the scorers for Platte County, which has won three straight. The Pirates travel to William Chrisman on Tuesday and host Fort Osage on Thursday with a chance to use the postseason to lock up a fourth straight record of .500 or better in Mitchell’s tenure, which will end with his retirement at the end of this season.
