Platte County senior Joslyn Hupp looks to take a shot in a game earlier this season. ROSS MARTIN/PC Preps Extra

Platte County uses defense to outlast NKC, offense to blast Oak Park

Entering Class 5 District 8 with No. 3 seed, Pirates closed regular season with 2 more wins in what continues to be impressive 1-year turnaround under 1st-year coach Mitchell.

With many expectations already exceeded, why not aim for a memorable run?

Platte County closed the regular season with a pair of nonconference victories, capped with Friday night’s 52-23 demolition of Oak Park at Pirate Fieldhouse. The Pirates enter the Class 5 District 8 play with a 16-8 overall record, doubling the win total from a year ago when they bowed out in the first round.

Owning the No. 3 seed, Platte County holds realistic hopes of earning the program’s first playoff berth since winning the Class 4 state championship in 2009. The Pirates already have their most wins in a season since going 18-8 in 2011.

Platte County received an extra chance for adding to the win total with the rescheduled matchup against Oak Park, which previously canceled. Played as the first half of a boys-girls doubleheader, the Pirates overcame a slow start thanks to double-doubles for senior forward Joslyn Hupp (17 points, 12 rebounds) and sophomore Addy Schlake (10 points and 11 rebounds. Reese Pickett, a senior forward, added 10 points.

Yet, Oak Park led early 3-0 and could have done even more during a disjointed start.

Platte County struggled with turnovers against the press and missed mostly deep shots against set half-court defenses even when successfully navigating the traps. In addition, Pirates junior guard Lydia Doole picked up two early fouls.

Schlake broke a drought of more than 4 minutes with an inside bucket at the 3:47 mark of the first quarter.

Platte County trailed just 3-2 at that point, and Schalke’s second field goal a minute later put the Pirates ahead for good. They were up 6-5 after the first quarter, and a basket from Hupp to begin the second kickstarted a 12-2 run.

Oak Park’s deficit grew to 22-8 in the first half on a pair of free throws for Pickett.

Platte County continued the onslaught after halftime, and the lead went to 39-19 starting the fourth quarter. A runner in the lane from Pickett made it 47-23 near the midway point of the final stanza. Schlake added five steals in what became a dominant defensive effort while also grabbing seven offensive rebounds to create extra offensive opportunities.

With the outcome in hand, Platte County first year coach Eric Mitchell — architect of the turnaround season — liberally used his bench late in stark contrast from a two-point win over the Lady Oakies in the season-opening Winnetonka Invitational in November. Pirates sophomore Lauren Stone scored six points off the bench, while sophomore Haley Barlow (four), Doole (three) and senior Mackenzie Shields (two) rounded out the scorers. Shields hit two free throws in the final seconds to finish off the rout.

Platte County opens district play Thursday against sixth-seeded Winnetonka (10-13). The Pirates won the regular season meeting between the two teams 57-43 at Winnetonka in mid-January.

The depth of the district bracket required difficult seeding decisions. Lincoln Prep (14-9) ended up at No. 1 with St. Teresa’s Academy (13-9) at No. 2 in front of Platte county, which lost this year to fifth-seeded Kearney (12-14). Smithville ended up with the No. 4 over Kearney thanks to a regular season split with Kearney.

Lincoln Prep earns a bye, and the winner between Platte County and Winnetonka plays either St. Teresa’s for seventh-seeded Van Horn (6-16). The Pirates have wins this season over half the teams in the field plus the loss to Kearney and no meetings with the top two seeds.

Platte County 37, North Kansas City 26

Pickett scored a game-high 13 points and helped the Pirates overcome a woeful shooting performance Thursday in North Kansas City.

Platte County shot just 26.1 percent from the floor but used the continually emphasized defensive game plan to pull away to a double-digit win. The Pirates were 11-for-11 on free throws with Barlow hitting five to finish with seven points.

Schlake scored six on 3 of 5 shooting and added 10 rebounds for Platte County, while Doole continued her under-the-radar complete performances, finishing with five points and team-highs of 11 rebounds and five assists. She hit one of the Pirates’ two 3s while Pickett knocked in the other.

North Kansas City forced 20 turnovers but couldn’t keep pace on offense.

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