Bobcats turn back Chadwick's late rally

WEST PLAINS, Mo. -- Despite going just six deep for much of the season, Delta girls coach Randy White considered his bench as one of the teams strengths.

White's confidence in his bench was put to the test Saturday when the Bobcats faced defending state champion Chadwick in a Class 1 quarterfinal at the West Plains Civic Center.

The Bobcats had three of their top six players pick up three fouls in the first half -- all three fouled out in the fourth quarter -- and had to get extensive minutes from sophomore junior varsity players Sarah Keys and Alison Burger.

Keys scored seven points, and Burger hit two free throws with 4.3 seconds remaining to help Delta secure a berth in the state final four with a 54-49 win.

"We had Sarah Keys and Alison Burger come off the bench -- I know they've been JV -- but they really did a super job for us," White said. "We got into foul trouble early and those two came in and did really well."

Delta (27-1) will play Leeton on Thursday in the Class 1 semifinals at Mizzou Arena.

Both Keys and Burger were on the floor for much of the fourth quarter, as Delta had to fight off a furious Chadwick rally.

Shea Smith's layin 10 seconds into the fourth gave the Bobcats their biggest lead of the game at 39-26, but it was a bumpy ride for Delta the rest of the way.

Chadwick (25-5) climbed back within three -- 50-47 -- with a little more than a minute remaining. Smith and Kaci Menz hit a free throw apiece on Delta's next two possessions to push the lead back to 52-47.

Brittney Jones scored for the Cardinals with 4.6 seconds left to cut the lead to 52-49, and that's when Burger was sent to the line. Burger, who had only seen limited action in a handful of varsity games this season, coolly swished both free throws to put the game out of reach.

"I just had to make them," Burger said.

Burger's success at the line mirrored that of her teammates. Delta hit 17 of 22 free throws in the second half, and sank 22 of 30 overall. Chadwick, meanwhile, hit just 21 of 35.

"We shoot a lot of free throws in practice," Delta freshman Jodi Menz said. "Anyone on our team can hit them when we need them the most."

Despite having three players with three fouls in the opening half -- starters Ashley Deprow and Kaci Menz each picked up a third foul less than 2 minutes into the second quarter -- Delta started to surge in the second.

The Bobcats opened a 26-17 lead at halftime, holding Chadwick to just two field goals in the second quarter. Chadwick mustered just two more field goals in the third, and a pair of free throws from Keys at the end of the third moved the lead to 37-26.

Chadwick got 13 points apiece from Jones, Cassie Lewis and Misty Bettis. Amanda Workman, Chadwick's second 6-foot starter, was limited to just seven points as Jodi Menz gave up plenty of size but held her own inside.

"Jodi Menz did a heck of a job on the big kid," White said.

Smith, Delta's leading scorer, had 10 points in each half for a game-high 20. Kaci Menz added 10 points before fouling out.

This will be the first trip to Columbia for the Bobcats since 2003. Delta fell to Chadwick in last year's quarterfinal round.

"Ever since last year, they set that as the goal," White said of the final four. "But not just to get there. We want to do something more once we're there."

Delta 54, Chadwick 49

Chadwick 11 6 9 23 -- 49

Delta 13 13 11 17 -- 54

CHADWICK (49) -- Brittney Jones 13, Cassie Lewis 13, Misty Bettis 13, Amanda Workman 7, Stacey Sisco 3. FG 14, FT 21-35, F 20 (3-pointers: Jones 1. Fouled out: Lewis, Bettis, Workman)

DELTA (54) -- Shea Smith 20, Kaci Menz 10, Sarah Keys 7, Alison Burger 5, Jodi Menz 4, Tiffany Amelunke 4, Kayla Seabaugh 4. FG 16, FT 22-30, F 26 (3-pointers: Smith 1. Fouled out: Seabaugh, Ashley Deprow, Kaci Menz)