Bobcats turn back Scott City in tourney final

CHAFFEE, Mo. -- Delta's defense refused to allow Scott City to work inside.

The Bobcats hounded the Rams and forced Scott City's shooters outside.

Delta's strategy worked as it posted a 53-42 victory in Thursday's championship game of the Scott-Mississippi Conference tournament at Chaffee High School.

"They were taking away Katie [Hogan] and Steph [Essner]," Scott City coach Kerry Thompson said. "What we weren't doing is driving the gaps in their zone."

Delta knew all about Essner and the 6-foot-1 Hogan from when the teams met in the title game of the Chaffee Invitational earlier this season. The Rams duo combined for 33 points in that game, a 57-50 Scott City win. The Bobcats weren't going to allow that to happen again Thursday.

ABOVE: Delta's Tori Burton prepares to shoot as Scott City's Melanie Lacey defends Thursday during the second quarter of the Scott-Mississippi Conference tournament championship game in Chaffee, Mo.LEFT: Delta's Taylor Smith defends Scott City's Holli Shemonia during the first quarter.FRED LYNCH flynch@ semissourian.com

"We kind of shut down their tallest player because we know she's really tall and is good at getting rebounds," Delta freshman Machela VanGennip said of Hogan. "She's not only good inside, but she's good outside. We tried to shut her down inside."

The Bobcats limited Hogan and Essner to a combined 20 points on 7-of-24 shooting (29 percent).

"We beat them in the Chaffee tournament so it was revenge night," Thompson said. "It was theirs. We look forward to meeting them again at our place in the regular season conference play."

While Scott City's offense never found its rhythm, the Bobcats shot 56 percent (10 of 18) from the floor in the second half. That helped them weather Scott City's charge in the third quarter and pull away in the final period.

While Delta shot 63 percent (5 of 8) from the field in the final quarter, Scott City only connected on 22 percent (2 of 9) of its shots over the final eight minutes.

Scott City's Holli Shemonia looks to shoot against Delta's Taylor Smith, left, and Courtney Burton during the first quarter Thursday at Chaffee. (Fred Lynch)

Delta senior Taylor Smith played a large role in helping the Bobcats to the tournament title. She finished with a game-high 18 points, including four 3-pointers.

"I just find open shots," she said. "I don't know, I just shoot it. As soon as it leaves my hands, I can tell you if it's going to go in or not."

Smith is the epitome of a streaky shooter, and she got into a groove during the second quarter when she connected on three treys. She said if she's open, she's going to shoot.

"I just have my feet set and I have it in my mind that I'm going to shoot it as soon as I realize I'm open," she said. "If I have that second to get that shot off, I'm going to get it off."

Thompson said the Bobcats' ability to move the ball on offense makes it difficult to guard Smith.

Delta's Tori Burton shoots over Scott City's Ashley Brant during the second quarter.

"You can't leave her," he said. "You've got to face guard her at all times. The thing is, they pass the ball so well."

Delta built a 12-point lead on Smith's second 3-pointer in the second quarter, but Scott City cut the deficit to one point on a 3-pointer by Macy Heisserer with 2 minutes, 1 second left in the third quarter. After a bucket by Delta's Ashley Glaus, Essner picked off a pass and raced in for a layup and got hammered. She made the basket and the free throw to tie the game at 38-38.

Scott City never could gain the lead as turnovers and poor shooting hampered it in the fourth quarter. The Rams turned over the ball seven times in the final period, which helped the Bobcats build a 13-point lead, more than enough to exact revenge for their loss to the Rams in the Chaffee Invitational final.

"We wanted to show everybody that we could do it," Smith said. "Everybody doubts us. We just want to gain their respect. We come in here seeded No. 4 and we ended up winning it. We wanted to prove everyone wrong."

Delta 13 17 10 13 -- 53

Scott City's Katie Hogan looks to pass as Delta's Samantha Bartels defends during the first quarter.

Scott City 8 12 18 4 -- 42

DELTA (53) -- Taylor Smith 18, Machela VanGennip 11, Tori Burton 13, Samantha Bartels 6, Kendra Burnett 2, Ashley Glaus 3. FG 21, FT 6-16, F 13. (3-pointers: Smith 4, Bartels 1. Fouled out: none)

SCOTT CITY (42) -- Katie Hogan 8, Ashley Brant 16, Holli Shemonia 2, Stephanie Essner 12, Tiffany Merritt 1, Macy Heisserer 3. FG 17, FT 4-7, F 16. (3-pointers: Essner 3, Heisserer 1. Fouled out: Melanie Lacey)