For the sixth straight year, the final of the Lady Royals Classic will feature Neelyville and Dexter. Neelyville (6-4) began its semifinal against New Madrid County Central (10-1) with a 20-0 run and never looked back on the way to a 63-45 win Friday in Broseley. Jentri Worley scored a game-high 25 points to help propel the Lady Tigers to the final round. The team's defense stood out throughout the first half. NMCC was held scoreless for nearly 10 minutes to start the game, recording its first points with 6:21 left in the first half on a pair of free throws. "We were just trying to stay in front of the defense. They drove in, help-side had to be there and cover as quick as we could," Neelyville coach Becky Hale said. While the defense was playing inspired ball in the first half, the offense was playing patiently and creating open, high-percentage shots. Worley began the scoring with an old fashioned 3-point play by breaking the NMCC press to convert a layup and draw a foul. After a couple of free throws fell for the Lady Tigers, senior Rhegan Tutor got in the scoring column with a layup after bobbling a pass along the baseline, gathering it and scoring. Lexi Liau drove inside for two, and Worley knocked down a 3-pointer after the offense had moved the ball around and remained patient until an opening formed. The Murray State commit turned defense into offense to cap off the 20 straight points when she stole a pass at half court and laid it home for an easy two. "We were more focused than we have been," said sophomore Makenzi Davis. "We worked the ball a lot better, especially in that first half, seeing the floor, letting the ball work for us," added Hale. In the second half, though, the Lady Eagles briefly teased a comeback attempt. Trailing by 22 to start the fourth quarter, NMCC came to life on both sides of the ball and rattled off a 10-0 run to pull within 12 points. "Our demeanor (changed). Coming out, we were fired up and ready to play," Hale said. "No matter what's happening on the floor, being able to block out, rebound and take care of the ball is essential. We had to settle down and play together." Worley drew a foul and knocked down a pair of free throws to end the run and start a spurt for the Lady Tigers. Worley's pair from the charity stripe sparked a 12-3 burst for Neelyville, all but sealing the game. Makenzi Davis added to the run with a stop-and-release shot in the paint for a deuce, and lefty Bailey McGruder knocked down a 3 near the wing and a free throw. Liau brought Neelyville back ahead by 20 with a runner on the baseline that dropped in the bucket for two more. Liau capped the run with a free throw for one of her 12 points. With another matchup against Dexter on the horizon in the final, Hale said the Lady Tigers have to give it all they've got to end the Bearcats' six-year reign. Consolation Bracket Charleston 68, Campbell 60 Charleston held went ahead early and held off Campbell for a trip to the final in the consolation bracket of the Lady Royals Classic. Jermaneja Smith led the Lady Bluejays with 21 points, 16 of which she scored in the second half, in a 68-60 victory over the Lady Camels. Nicole Hart added 19 points, scoring 13 in the first 16 minutes. Senior Claire Parker tried her best to save Campbell and carry the offense. Parker scored a game-high 34 points on 10 made shots and an efficient 13 for 15 game from the free-throw line. She was the only Lady Camel to score in double figures. After taking a three-point lead into the locker room at halftime, Charleston's defense came out and locked down Campbell in the third quarter, allowing seven points. Solid defense in the first and third quarters helped the Lady Bluejays move on to the consolation final. Greenville 62, Twin Rivers 50 Greenville's effort on the defensive end in Friday's 62-50 win over Twin Rivers helped send the Lady Bears into Saturday's consolation final to face Charleston. Greenville didn't allow more than 11 points in any quarter until the Lady Royals were able to score 19 in the fourth. Steadily building their lead throughout the game, the Lady Bears kept Twin Rivers at bay until the lead sat at 12 points at the final buzzer. Kate Bangert Trinity McDaniel and McKenzie Miller all led a balanced Greenville offense with 14 points apiece. Abbey Hester led the game in scoring with 20 points on eight made baskets, but no other Lady Royal scored more than seven points as the Greenville defense was stout throughout the game Doniphan 59, Kennett 27 Doniphan put on a defensive clinic against Kennett in a 59-27 win that put the Donettes in the fifth-place game of the Lady Royals Classic. Fourth-seeded Doniphan allowed nine points in the second half and five in the first quarter in a dominant performance. The Donettes were effectively trapping the Kennett guards and forcing turnovers consistently to get transition baskets. Emily Ederer led the game in scoring with 20 points on 10 makes from the floor. Kennett's Kaniya Madlock led Kennett with 12 points as the game's only other double figure scorer. Kelly 61, Chaffee 59 (OT) It took extra time to decide who would meet Doniphan in Saturday's fifth-place game. Kelly senior Anna Goering score a basket on a putback after a missed 3-pointer to tie the game with around 10 seconds left in regulation. In overtime, she iced the game at the free-throw line with 1.8 seconds left, splitting a pair to put the Lady Hawks up by two. A last-second heave at half-court missed everything as seventh-seeded Kelly won a nail-biter against sixth-seeded Chaffee. Kelly recovered after facing a nine-point halftime deficit when it was outscored 25-10 in the second quarter. Sophomore Alaney Moore led the Lady Hawks with 21 points. Chaffee's Braelyn Pobst matched Moore's game-high total with 21 points of her own.