Derby girls overcome 12-point deficit, beat South by 2

South was setting up for a final shot when, just one breath later, Derby’s Aliyah Myers was driving toward the other basket.

A South guard had the ball knocked away, and Derby’s Kennedy Brown collected it with about six seconds to go in Friday’s Class 6A girls basketball semifinals. She passed to Miles, who had a one-on-one matchup against a closing defender.

Miles shot an off-balance layup that banked in with under two seconds to go, breaking a tie and giving Derby a 42-40 win. The Panthers play undefeated Olathe East in Saturday’s championship. Derby has never won a state title.

“It was just crazy,” Myers said. “I just saw the ball get loose. Kennedy picked it up, looked up. I had to sprint and run. I saw a defender try to come and get the ball, so I just had to keep it away from her and try to just put it up.”

Derby trailed by 12 points at the five-minute mark of the third quarter but controlled the rest of the game to defeat South for the second time this season. South didn’t lose any other games.

South’s defense was as good as ever during Friday’s first half.

While South’s girls basketball team was aggressive, Derby was hesitant. South’s defense was in control and Derby played defensively, giving emotional ground to the more spirited team.

“I felt like I came out slow and I’m the motor of the team,” Myers said. “I just had to get it going.”

Those elements changed in the third quarter. Derby rediscovered its confidence – a factor that contributed to its regular-season victory over South – and junior center Kennedy Brown found her inner beast.

Derby scored 13 straight third-quarter points to take the lead. South led by double digits in all three quarters but Derby’s run changed the course.

South never turned off its energy, but the Titans couldn’t regain the scoring rhythm they established in the first half. South made 8 of 13 shots in the first half but made one basket in the third and went nearly seven minutes without scoring.

Derby, meanwhile, turned its reliance toward Brown, their 6-foot-6 post player. Brown rarely controlled the paint, as South used its quickness to grab offensive rebounds and multiple defenders to subdue her on the blocks.

But during Derby’s 13-point run, Brown scored six points, and she had 10 points in the third quarter, finishing with 23 points and 12 rebounds. South had greater balance, with three players in double figures, but no sure thing in crunch time.

Myers scored eight points, making 2 of 11 shots and becoming just as frustrated by South’s relentless defense. It was no less swarming in the final seconds, but she got the shot over her defender to become the hero.

“I didn’t know how much time was left,” Myers said. “I thought (South) called timeout after I made that but the buzzer went off.”

This story was originally published March 9, 2018 at 9:02 PM with the headline "Derby girls overcome 12-point deficit, beat South by 2."