BRAVETTES KEEP TITLE STREAK ALIVE

ORAN -- Not even injury or illness could keep Scott County Central High's girls basketball team from winning yet another district title.

The second-seeded Bravettes knocked off top-seeded Delta 51-44 Thursday night in the championship game of the Class 1A, District 2 Tournament.

For Scott Central, the district title is at least the Bravettes' 13th in a row -- although coach Semona Penrod isn't quite sure of the exact number.

What Penrod was sure about is that this one was particularly sweet because two of the Bravettes' top players were ailing, Vontrice Blackmon with an ankle injury and Ashley Whitson with an illness.

But both played most of the game and combined for 20 points, with Whitson scoring 12.

"Vontrice sprained her ankle playing basketball Wednesday morning. She couldn't get around real well but she did a good job," said Penrod. "Ashley was sick but she played a heck of a game."

The Bravettes (15-11) will play the District 1 champion at 6:30 p.m. Monday in a regional game in Sikeston. The District 1 final is tonight.

Heather Bright also scored 12 points for the Bravettes while Lakeya Turner had nine.

Delta (17-8) got 15 points from Amanda Cook, 12 from Erin Eftink and 10 from Amanda McDaniel.

"My girls played hard," said Delta coach Amy Blattel. "Scott County made a run and we just didn't answer.

"But I'm proud of my girls. We fought through a lot of injuries this year and stuck together. They never gave up."

Delta led 11-9 after one quarter but Scott Central took control with a 23-10 second-quarter edge. Bright had nine points in the period while Whitson added eight.

Trailing 32-21 at halftime, Delta was still able to make things interesting. The Lady Bobcats got to within four points early in the final period and again later in the quarter but the Bravettes were able to secure the victory down the stretch.

"I thought we played pretty well," Penrod said. "We got up and down the floor pretty well even though Vontrice and Ashley weren't at full strength."

Penrod said it mattered little to the Bravettes that they were seeded behind the Lady Bobcats. Scott Central beat Delta last week, but that came after the seedings had been determined.

"It didn't really matter, except that maybe it made us work harder," she said.