Jappa returns, makes big plays in victory

Freshman center Ashley Jappa returned to Fort Scott Community College's lineup Wednesday night and the timing could not have been better as she helped preserve a 69-68 victory over Highland.

Jappa, who had been out of the Greyhound lineup since breaking her left thumb prior to the Jan. 16 meeting with Neosho County, was fitted with a soft cast. Her play in the final minute of Wednesday's Jayhawk Conference-Eastern Division clash with Highland was anything but.

Although the Greyhounds (4-7 in the East and 11-9 overall) held a lead as large as 13 points early in the second half, an offensive drought of over 5 1/2 minutes allowed the Scotties (1-10, 9-14) to get back into the game, taking the lead several times.

Highland led 68-67 with a minute and a half to go but Brittney English gave Fort Scott the lead for good with a stickback of a teammate's miss with 1:04 to go.

With 20 seconds remaining, Highland's Jennifer Amayo stole in inbound pass, but Jappa was there to stop Amber Guthrie on the drive to the basket and pick up a steal with 3.8 seconds left.

Fort Scott was fouled but missed the front end of the ensuing one-and-one. The Scotties got the rebound and called their last time out. But Jappa stole the inbound pass and the clock ran out before Highland could foul again.

Jappa didn't make her return to the lineup until about the 13-minute mark of the second half. She had already shown herself to be one of the Jayhawk Conference's top scorers and rebounders before she was injured.

The Greyhounds held a 40-33 lead at halftime and started the second half by scoring the first six points.

But the Scotties went on a 16-4 run fueled by three three-point goals and 11 points from Michaela Berg, who finished as Highland's leading scorer with 24 points.

Ahead only 50-49 now, Kenya Doss made the first of two free throws for the 'Hounds but missed the second shot. Jappa, though, was right there for the putback and her first points in 3 1/2 weeks. Leondra Doomes-Stephens, who led Fort Scott with 24 points, added the hoop-and-harm three-point play to make it a seven-point lead with exactly 10 minutes to go.

But then Highland kept the Greyhounds off the scoreboard for the following 5:40, taking the lead at 60-56 with 4:36 to go before Doss broke Fort Scott's drought moments later.

Free throws kept Highland on top until Doomes-Stephens tied the score at 67-67 with a transition layup with 1:42 remaining.

Doss added 20 points for the Greyhounds, who shot 39 percent from the field, making 27 of 70 field-goal attempts.

Amy Galey added 14 points for the Scotties, who were 21 of 65 overall for 32 percent. Highland connected on 11 of 35 three-point attempts.

The Greyhounds held a 53-30 rebounding advantage. Doomes-Stephens had 15 boards -- and also led in assists with five and steals with four -- while English finished with 11 boards.

Fort Scott goes on the road Saturday afternoon for a 2 p.m. tip off at Independence. The Pirates (9-2, 16-7) defeated Fort Scott on Jan. 12, 72-47, and also scored a 58-42 upset of No. 23-ranked Labette Wednesday.

HIGHLAND: Houser 1-4 0-0 2, Galey 4-13 4-6 14, Masters 0-1 0-0 0, Howerton 0-0 0-0 0, Maddox 3-6 0-0 9, Guthrie 2-8 5-6 9, Amayo 1-5 1-2 4, Berg 7-24 5-5 24, Swick 3-4 0-0 6. TOTALS: 21-65 15-19 68.

FORT SCOTT: Doomes-Stephens 9-16 4-5 24, Wittenborn 1-1 0-0 2, Chaney 2-11 0-0 5, Bowles 3-10 0-0 6, Doss 7-19 1-5 20, Lawrence 0-0 0-0 0, English 3-8 2-2 8, Jappa 2-5 0-0 4, Hancock 0-0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 27-70 7-12 69.

Halftime: Fort Scott, 40-33.

Three-point field goals: Highland 11-35 (Berg 5-18, Maddox 3-6, Galey 2-5, Amayo 1-3, Guthrie 0-2), Fort Scott 8-21 (Doss 5-9, Doomes-Stephens 2-5, Chaney 1-7).

Total fouls: Highland 14, Fort Scott 18. Fouled out: none. Technical fouls: English.

Rebounds: Highland 30 (Maddox 9), Fort Scott 53 (Doomes-Stephens 15, English 11). Assists: Highland 9 (Galey 5), Fort Scott 12 (Doomes-Stephens 5). Turnovers: Highland 10, Fort Scott 15. Steals: Highland 4 (four with 1 each), Fort Scott 6 (Doomes-Stephens 4). Blocked shots: Highland none, Fort Scott 3 (three with 1 each).