Charleston girls top Delta for title 46-35

CHAFFEE, Mo. -- The championship of the girls Scott-Mississippi Conference basketball tournament paired the perimeter game of the top-seeded Delta Bobcats against the inside presence of the No. 3 Charleston Blue Jays.

In the end it was the inside play of Charleston's 6-foot-plus post players Shytoria Davis and Missy Whitney that decided Saturday's championship game, leading the Blue Jays to a 46-35 victory.

"They were bigger, but we didn't execute our game plan at all," Delta coach Randy White said.

Delta, which beat the Blue Jays 54-33 earlier this season, started strong. The Bobcats (10-2) scored the game's first seven points and did not allow Charleston to score in the first five minutes of the game.

Whitney scored Charleston's first basket from down low and led the Blue Jays (11-3) on a 9-2 run that tied the score at 9-9 at the end of one quarter. Whitney and Davis, combined for seven of Charleston's points in the period.

White said his team's inability to take full advantage of its strong defensive start cost the Bobcats in the end.

"If we would have run our offense the right way, we could have been in control of the ballgame," he said.

Charleston took its first lead on a Davis basket to start the second quarter. Delta regained the lead on a 3-point play by freshman Shea Smith and, despite several turnovers, the Bobcats clung to a 21-19 lead at halftime.

The third quarter saw the game's third tie, along with three lead changes. Delta took a 24-21 advantage on a Sarah Cook 3-pointer, but a few minutes later Davis put Charleston back on top 27-26 with a basket down low. Cook's basket on Delta's next possession gave the Bobcats the lead again at 28-27, but Fleater Quinn's three free throws on Charleston's next trip down the floor gave the Blue Jays the lead for good.

"All we knew was we were coming to pay back everyone who's beat us before," Davis said. "We came in and we were ready for this one."

Delta cut the lead to 32-30 early in the fourth quarter, but Charleston scored the next six points and sealed the win with six free throws down the stretch. Charleston hit 11-of-12 free throws in the second half.

Davis led all scorers with 15 points for Charleston and Whitney added 14. Quinn finished with 11 points.

"Charleston's two big kids, they really played hard today," White said. "They did a very good job."

Both teams were coming off championship games against Twin Rivers in holiday tournaments. Delta won its New Year's tournament last week, while the Blue Jays lost to host Twin Rivers at the Lady Royals Classic during Christmas break.

"In the Lady Royals we didn't keep our heads together as a team," Davis said. "Today we didn't make mistakes."

Delta, which does not have a senior on the roster and starts two freshman and a sophomore, received 11 points apiece from Cook and Smith.

The youth may hurt the Bobcats down the stretch.

"I'm not so sure if it's inexperience, or just the players' staying focused on the court," White said.

Charleston 46, Delta 35

Charleston 9 10 13 14 -- 46

Delta 9 12 7 7 -- 35

CHARLESTON (46) -- Shaytoria Davis 15, Missy Whitney 14, Fleater Quinn 11, Miquel McCleary 6. FG 16, FT 14-18, F 5 (3-pointers: none. Fouled out: none)

DELTA (35) -- Sarah Cook 11, Shea Smith 11, Ashley Elliot 2, Kaci Menz 9, Kayla Seabaugh 2. FG 15, FT 3-6, F 15 (3-pointers: Cook 1, Menz 1. Fouled out: Menz and Smith)

jjoffray@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 171