SISSONVILLE -- There are few Boone County coaches who take losses as hard as John Porter, the Scott Lady Skyhawks' veteran girls basketball bench boss.

But even the perpetually pessimistic Porter had to admit he was encouraged by his players' performance in Scott's 41-40 road loss versus Class AA perennial power Sissonville last Monday.

An estimated crowd of about 500 fans watched the fourth-ranked Lady Skyhawks rally to almost upset the third-ranked Lady Indians.

"This game was a good experience for this team," Porter said, fully aware that his squad needs difficult games against talented opponents to prepare it for postseason play. "Coming back in their house with a whole lot of people here ... it was a nice experience for us. It was a good learning experience."

Junior forward Brittani Adkins finished with a team-high two blocks, three assists, seven points and a team-high 10 rebounds, but she made only 3-of-11 field goal attempts and 1-of-4 free throw attempts.

Freshman point guard MaKenzie White contributed two blocks, three steals, 10 rebounds and 15 points, all team highs. She made 6-of-11 field goal attempts, including 1-of-5 from three-point range. She also had four assists.

Scott also received one steal, three assists, five rebounds and 14 points from junior guard Kate Tadlock, who made 5-of-13 field goal attempts, including 4-of-6 from three-point range.

Junior guard Ciera Bias (four points on a 2-for-9 shooting effort, including an 0-for-2 effort from behind the arc) was the only other scorer for the Lady Skyhawks. Bias also had a game-high six assists, two steals and one rebound.

Senior guard Kaitlin Snyder led the Lady Indians (6-0) with 21 points, 15 rebounds and six steals, all game highs. She made 9-of-18 field goal attempts, including 3-of-5 from three-point range, and 0-of-2 free throw attempts. She also had three assists.

Sophomore forward Jenna Curry added 11 points for Sissonville on a 4-for-10 effort from the floor and a 3-for-4 effort from the foul line.

Senior guard Whitney Anderson scored three points. Senior forward Emily Carpenter, senior forward Autumn Martin and freshman forward Logan Walker added two points apiece.

One of the differences in the game was the teams' opportunities and success at the foul line. Sissonville made 6-of-10 free throws; Scott made 1-of-4 free throws (all taken by Adkins).

The Lady Skyhawks were 17-of-54 from the floor, including 5-of-16 from behind the arc. The Lady Indians were 16-of-48 from the floor, including 3-of-6 from behind the arc.

Sissonville took the lead for good at 6-4 with 5:30 remaining in the opening period, although Scott tied the score three times in the first and second quarters (8-8, 14-14 and 17-17).

Led by Snyder, a three-time All-State selection who scored all but seven of her points in the first half, the Lady Indians led 30-19 at halftime.

The Lady Skyhawks buckled down after the intermission and limited the home team to six third-quarter points and five fourth-quarter points.

Sissonville didn't make a field goal in the final four minutes. Anderson made the front end of a one-and-one free throw for the game-winning point.

"It was like night and day," Sissonville coach Annette Olenchick told the Charleston Daily Mail. "You have to give Scott credit. They stepped it up."

Scott set the final score when White, its precocious freshman, swished a three-pointer with 16 seconds remaining in the game.

A few minutes earlier, she scored six consecutive points to cut Sissonville's lead from eight points to four points at 38-34 with 5:23 left in the game.

"She's a good player," Snyder told the Charleston Daily Mail. "She hit a key three-pointer, which was my fault because I didn't go out and guard her."

Snyder, a Fairmont State University recruit who is one of the state's premier players and sharpest shooters, missed the front end of a one-and-one opportunity four seconds later. White grabbed the rebound and raced down the court, but the Lady Indians forced a turnover and the Lady Skyhawks once again had to foul Snyder, who came up with the loose-ball steal.

Snyder missed another one-and-one opportunity and White grabbed another rebound, but with only seven-tenths of a second remaining on the clock, there wasn't enough time for a buzzer-beating, game-winning shot from her or anyone else on the Scott roster.

Scott 77, Lincoln 34

Much to the delight and awe of their home crowd, the Lady Skyhawks downright dominated the Lady Cougars in a game between Class AA contenders Saturday afternoon.

No one could have expected such a lopsided contest, especially considering Lincoln entered the game with a 5-0 record and No. 2 ranking.

But Scott jumped on its visitors from the opening tip, forcing turnover after turnover and scoring point after point off a full-court press that Porter used for the first time this season.

"We have to put that in," Porter said of the full-court press, a high-energy defense that can wear down both teams. "I would prefer not to because I worry about our depth and getting into foul trouble, but I wanted to start trying it. So, we did today."

It worked. Scott led 23-5 after the first quarter, 53-7 at halftime and 72-16 after the third quarter.

Playing against the hosts' reserves, the Lady Cougars outscored the Lady Skyhawks 18-5 in the fourth quarter.

Tadlock (28 points) and White (27 points) combined for 55 points in an impressive effort by the talented tandem.

Bias netted nine points, followed by Adkins with six points, junior forward Shaneece Price with four points and junior guard Kate Harmon with three points.

"It helped our confidence a lot," Porter said of Scott's victory over Lincoln, which followed its loss to Sissonville.

Senior forward Marisa Lane led the Lady Cougars with 17 points and was their only double-digit scorer.

Up next for the Lady Skyhawks (5-2) is a pair of road games -- the first at Roane County tonight and the second at Tolsia on Saturday.