The No. 3 Highland Scotties showed why they deserve to be a top ranked team in the Nation after knocking off No. 4 ranked Johnson County Community College 108-65 Saturday in front of a packed Ben Allen Field House.
 
After losing seven straight games to the Cavaliers, Highland put all the pieces together Saturday afternoon and dominated from start to finish.
 
Johnson County was able to tie the game three different times in the first quarter, but after an 8-8 score, Highland took the lead and kept it throughout the game as Johnson never led in the contest.
 
Highland led 21-14 after the first quarter, but a big second quarter for Highland opened the game up and Highland took a 50-23 lead heading into the locker room.
 
Defense led to offense in the first half as Highland forced 17 first half turnovers and recorded 11 steals and only allowed Johnson to score nine-points in the quarter.
 
Niccolly Ramalho and Mariane De Caravalho both played big roles in the first half scoring 15 and 14 points each. Caravalho also pulled down eight rebounds and recorded four steals in the half.
 
The Scotties kept the gas pedal down in the third quarter extending their lead to 50 points, 87-37 after thirty minutes of play.
 
Highland's largest lead came with 4:19 in the ball game after Daisah Purnell made a layup extending the Scottie lead to 58-points, 107-49. That lead wouldn't last long as Johnson County made some shots down the stretch cutting into the large Highland lead. The Scotties crusised onto victory 108-65.
 
108 points is the most points scored by a Highland team against Johnson County. The largest was an 89-88 HCC win back in 2002.
 
 
Niccolly Ramalho and Mariane De Caravalho led all scoreres in the game with 25-points each. Ramalho set a new career high with 25-points and she also recorded five steals and four rebounds. Caravalho got double-double number six on the season finishing with 25-points and 11 rebounds. She also had five steal and three assists. She is still leading in ppg in the KJCCC at 19.7.
 
Berniezha Tidwell was the other Scottie in double-figures with 12 points, six steals and five rebounds. Sydney Brinlee and Stefania Chiziane each added in 9-points while Blaize Burgess and Kamryn Lemon each added in 8-points.
 
Johnson County struggled to get the ball across half-court against the Highland press and turned the ball over 30 times in the game, 22 of which were steals from Highland. Highland scored 44 points off Cavalier turnovers.
 
"Our defense really gave us a spark in the game. Even when they did get it across half-court it took a lot of energy out of them so I fell they didn't shoot it as well. You can't fault us for our effort today, I felt we really played hard as a group," commented Head Coach BJ Smith.
 
Highland is on the longest active winning streak in school history now sitting at 22-0 overall and 2-0 in conference play. They are on the road this week as they travel to Hesston (10-10) Wednesday for a 5:30pm tip and Kansas City Kansas (17-5, 1-1) on Saturday. That game set to tip at 2:00pm.