By RANDY GONZALES

rgonzales@dailynews.net

The Monarchs lost to Scott City by 48 points two years ago and 45 points last year.

It didn't get any better on Monday in a makeup game against the Beavers at Al Billinger Fieldhouse.

Scott City, the defending state champion and ranked No. 1 in Class 3A, led from start to finish in an 86-31 win over the Thomas More Prep-Marian boys' basketball team.

It was the most points Scott City (18-1) has scored all year, and the most points TMP (11-8) has given up.

"My hat's off to Scott City, they got a great ball club," TMP coach Joe Hertel said. "I really look for them to end up back at the state tournament again."

Hertel just wished his Monarchs had played better.

"I didn't think I really saw my team," Hertel said. "We're better than what we showed tonight, we just are."

Scott City's full-court press helped force seven first-quarter turnovers. The Beavers made their first four shots, capped by a fast-break dunk by junior Joey Meyer, to take an 8-2 lead.

"We want to try to get tempo going a little bit," Scott City coach Glenn O'Neil said. "We knew we would give up some high-percentage shots.

"At the same time, if we can get the tempo up, our kids like to play at that pace," he added. "Fortunately for us, tonight it turned out that way."

Scott City made six of its last seven shots in the first quarter to take a 24-7 lead. The lead grew to 45-14 at halftime, and 65-18 after three quarters.

A continuous clock was used in the fourth quarter.

"Our kids see the floor well, we're very unselfish with the ball," O'Neil said. "They don't really care who scores"

All 13 Scott City players who got into the game, scored. The Beavers were led by 6-foot-4 junior Drew Kite's 18 points and nine rebounds. Meyer added 15 points, and junior Austin Habiger came off the bench to swish four 3-pointers and score 14 points.

TMP got eight points from senior Jacob Fouts and seven from junior Anthony Walters, who made his first start after scoring 16 points against Cimarron on Friday.

Scott City shot 59 percent from the floor, while holding TMP to 25 percent shooting. The Monarchs also finished with 25 turnovers.

"I doubt the result would have been different if we had played well, but I wanted us to compete a little harder," Hertel said.

TMP will end the regular season on Thursday at Hutchinson-Trinity. Last year, TMP upset a ranked Trinity squad on a 3-pointer at the buzzer.