On Friday night, the Longhorns punched their ticket to the Elite Eight by beating Shiloh, 63-55.

It wasn’t the most beautifully executed game on either side, but these are the games that teams have to be able gut out if they expect to win en route to a state championship. As was to be expected from these teams, it was a gritty, grind-it-out kind of game.

Because of the defensive prowess of each team, neither team established a sustained flow on offense. The game was comprised of the teams exchanging miniature runs until the fourth quarter when Kell gained separation for good. 

Shiloh struggled early, but they turned to their defense to cut a double-digit Kell lead to four in the second quarter. In the third quarter, Shiloh continued their push to tie the game before Kell ultimately overpowered the Generals. 

Jaylen Harris led Kell with 15 points. Harris has led the Longhorns on both of their state playoff games thus far. He scored 21 points in their win against River Ridge. Harris does everything for Kell. He’s one of those players that impacts the game in so many more ways than a box score can reflect. His nose for the ball helps the Longhorns navigate difficult, choppy games like this. 

PJ Johnson scored 14 points. 10 of his points came in the first half. Johnson showed off his multi-faceted game by stepping out and connecting from beyond the arc, driving and getting good looks around the rim, rebounding, and playing tough defense. As he’s only a sophomore, Johnson will be fun to follow as he continues to grow and develop as a player. He already has the ability to play bigger than his size. He can mix it up down in the paint, or he can play out on the wing. 

Scoot Henderson had an off night by his standards. He still scored 13 points though. Scoot is so smooth. His ability to glide to the basket is artful. While he plays an aesthetically pleasing brand of basketball, he’s as tough as they come. In the fourth quarter, he was determined to keep Shiloh from making a late run. He crashed the glass as hard as anyone on the court, and he asserted himself on offense more than he had done for most of the game. 

Trevon Payton was Shiloh’s most consistent player throughout the game. Payton finished his night with 15 points to lead the Generals. He was the only General to connect for multiple 3-point shots and his length was disruptive on the defensive end. Payton’s versatility and upside were on full display. With a good summer of development, Payton could figure to be a force next season. 

Perhaps the second most highly-touted player in the game, Devon Barnes had a similar night to his star counterpart, Scoot Henderson. He struggled for much of the evening. He scored 13 points, but he never got going until the fourth quarter. By then it was too late for him to make a significant impact.