Bobcats must deal with Cairo's Roberts in title game

COLUMBIA -- If Delta coach Randy White needed some extra scouting for today's Class 1 girls basketball state championship game, it came in the form of a double overtime semifinal.

And he got an eyeful from Brandie Roberts, the 6-foot forward who scored a career-high 41 points to lead Cairo Northeast past Macks Creek 68-61 on Thursday at Mizzou Arena.

"Their size is tough," said White, who will be leading Delta into a final for the first time in his seven years after third-place finishes in 2003 and 2006. "They just kind of wore [Macks Creek] down.

"We don't match up with their size."

Delta will have to compensate in other ways against the Cats, who have a front line that includes Roberts, 5-9 Darlene King and 5-11 sophomore Daris King.

Roberts was 16-for-26 from the field Thursday (62 percent), while the rest of the team was 10-for-34 (29 percent). Darlene King scored 15 points before fouling out.

Cairo was 0-for-11 on 3-pointers in the game, trying nine of those in a rough first half. After shooting 31 percent in the first half, Cairo converted 55.6 in the second half with Roberts scoring 29 points after the break.

"Our length bothered them in the second half," Cairo coach Bob Roberts said.

The coach nixed any talk about being tired by the extra sessions -- "You're playing for the state championship, you're not tired," he said -- while his players were motivated by last year.

Cairo lost 63-24 to eventual state champion Walnut Grove in last year's semifinal after digging a 36-13 halftime hole.

"Last year, we came down here and we didn't prove anything," said Roberts, who averages 20.1 points and 11.3 rebounds per game. "This year, we have something to prove."

But the Cats had to rally from a double-digit fourth-quarter deficit Thursday by applying some defensive pressure.

And now, they get Delta.

"I don't know anything about them," Roberts said. "Well, a little bit. They're well coached."

White downplayed any difference coaching might make between Thursday and today's 12:20 p.m. tip. The Bobcats planned to have a brief practice Thursday evening.

"We're not going to adjust anything," White said. "You get one 45-minute practice and you can't really make any adjustments and expect the kids to execute it really well. We've just got to play. That strategy stuff is overrated."

Cairo (27-3)

PlayerHtClassPosPPGRPG

Lacy Moore5-6Sr.G3.31.7

Darlene King5-9Sr.G9.64.7

Shelby Gittemeier5-6So.G3.81.3

Brandie Roberts6-0Sr.F20.111.3

Daris King5-11So.F7.15.2

Courtney Cooley6-0Fr.F5.01.9

Delta (25-2)

PlayerHtClassPosPPGRPG

Taylor Smith5-5So.G10.55.3

Amanda Drew5-5Sr.G3.22.2

Jodi Menz5-10Jr.F9.610.6

Sara Blattel5-8Sr.F8.15.5

Sarah Keys5-5Sr.G10.74.4

Brittni Deprow5-4Sr.F3.41.2