CENTRAL GIRLS ROMP PAST PARKWAY

Cape Girardeau Central High's girls basketball team built a 29-7 halftime lead and rolled to a 52-28 victory over visiting Parkway West Wednesday night.

"I thought we played okay," said Central coach Paula Watkins, whose squad improved to 10-2. "We started out kind of sluggish, but then we picked the pace up. Our press bothered them.

"To be honest, we just outmatched them. We were just quicker, bigger and stronger. Parkway West is not as good as they were a few years ago."

Nichole Thiele scored 14 points to pace the Lady Tigers. Laura Lukens added 12 and Abby Harris had 10.

Meghan O'Neill led Parkway West with 13 points.

The Lady Tigers figure to receive a much tougher test Friday night when they host Nerinx Hall in a 6 o'clock JV start.

"Nerinx Hall is one of the top 10 teams in the St. Louis area," Watkins said. "That should be a good game."

The first 100 fans attending Friday's contest will receive Tiger key chains being provided by Dr. Don Dennington.

BOYS BASKETBALL

Delta 66

Chaffee 39

DELTA -- The first round of the Scott-Mississippi County Conference Tournament was completed Wednesday night as third-seeded Delta downed sixth-seeded Chaffee.

So the stage is set for tonight's semifinals pitting top-seeded Scott City against No. 4 Scott County Central at 7 and second-seeded Kelly against Delta at 8:30. The finals will be Friday night.

Delta (9-5) was led by Sammy Below with 16 points. Andy Blattel added 12 and Jeremy Goehman had 10.

Chaffee (3-8) got 14 points from Jeremy Yarbro and 10 from Grant Biler.

The Bobcats led 27-21 at halftime but they pulled away in the second half.

"I thought we played very well for most of three quarters," said Chaffee coach Jim Stoverink. "Delta has a good team and they just wore us down in the fourth quarter."