Delta sprints past Oran to repeat as Scott-Miss. Conference Champions

EAST PRAIRIE, Mo. — Delta uses lockdown defense, sharp shooting from the outside and “phenomenal effort” to win its second consecutive Scott-Mississippi Conference Championship with a 66-37 victory over Oran on Thursday, Jan. 26.

Jade Berry and Addison Nichols led the Ladycats (17-2) in scoring with 20 and 18, respectively, while Haley Webb was the Lady Eagles (11-7) top performer with 17.

Delta's Sierra Berry (23) drives to the basket during a 66-37 win over Oran at East Prairie on Thursday, Jan. 26. (Dennis Marshall/Standard-Democrat)

“We could have started better, but we ready got going,” said senior Sierra Berry. “This means a lot because we’ve worked our whole lives to get here. We have a great coach, and we’re all proud to be from this community. The fans have always stood behind us, and it’s nice to know we have that many people supporting us.”

Even more impressive is that Delta pulled off the lop-sided win without its leading scorer, who missed the game due to an injury.

Oran's Bralynn Morgan (22) drives to the bucket against Delta's Allie Hampton (12) on Thursday, Jan. 26. (Dennis Marshall/Standard-Democrat)

“Right now, we’re just beat to pieces with injuries,” said Delta coach David Heeb. “I think every kid on our team is playing with some kind of brace or something taped up, and the way these kids are stepping up and how hard they are playing is just phenomenal.”

The first quarter was hard fought and competitive with Oran jumping out to a 10-6 lead behind made shots from Grace Davis, Bralynn Morgan and Haley Webb, but the opening quarter ended tied 10-10 after Jade Berry knocked down a 3-pointer and Nichols added a shot from the charity stripe.

Delta's Jade Berry (2) takes a jump shot during a 66-37 win over Oran in the Scott-Mississippi Conference Championship on Thursday, Jan. 26. (Dennis Marshall/Standard-Democrat)

“[Oran] was trying some different stuff against us defensively,” Heeb said. “It took us a minute to get some traction. I knew eventually we would get going, but they were making us work so hard.

“We were ready to go from the jump,” he continued. “But Oran was too. We have probably played those kids 100 times over the past five or six years. We all know each other and a lot of these kids are friends. We have enjoyed playing against them and they have brought out the best in us. We would not be as good as we are if we didn’t have them to measure ourselves against all these years. They have brought out the best in us.”

Morgan made a shot to start the second quarter and give the lead back to the Lady Eagles, but it did not last long.

Delta's Addison Nichols (3), Olivia Wagoner (15), Jade Berry (2) and Teriana Crowden (0) accept the Scott-Mississippi Conference trophy following a title game win over Oran on Thursday, Jan. 26. (Dennis Marshall/Standard-Democrat)

The Ladycats started to heat up from the outside. Allie Hampton hit a long 2-point shot to tie it and then Jade Berry and Nichols each added 3-pointers that gave the team an 18-12 advantage.

Teriana Crowden added another outside shot a short time later that extended the score to 21-14.

“Every young kid at Delta Elementary should strive to be like Teriana Crowden,” Heeb said. “She is a great example of never giving up. She’s gotten better every year I have coached her. We needed someone to give us a spark, and she played so well in such a big moment.”

Oran's Emma Piggel (11), Haley Webb (23) and Taylor Hobbs (12) accept the Scott-Mississippi Conference second-place trophy on Thursday, Jan. 26. (Dennis Marshall/Standard-Democrat)

Oran narrowed the lead to 21-19 after a 3-pointer from Davis but Delta came right back with another 3-pointer from Jade Berry, this time coming off an assist from Trinity Vandeven, and a layup from Nichols to increase the lead to eight points.

The Ladycats led 32-21 at halftime after Crowden added another 3-pointer at the buzzer.

“I was so happy for that kid,” Hebb said. “She’s one of the hardest workers on the team. She shot the ball great and I was happy for her.”

Delta's Sierra Berry (23) goes for a layup during a 66-37 win over Oran in the Scott-Mississippi Conference Championship on Thursday, Jan. 26. (Dennis Marshall/Standard-Democrat)

Things snowballed out of control for the Lady Eagles in the second half with Delta pushing its lead to more than 30 points.

“Our team has master’s degree in this press,” Hebb said. “We have seen every variation of every press breaker for five years. One of my mentors, Lennies McFerren, always says, ‘Enough pressure will bust a steel pipe.’ Eventually, our pressure is going to get to you.

“We preach phenomenal effort,” he continued. “That’s our catchphrase. We know that if we give phenomenal effort then everything else will work its way out. That was on display tonight.”

Delta's Jade Berry (2) sprints past a defender during a 66-37 win over Oran in the Scott-Mississippi Conference Championship on Thursday, Jan. 26. (Dennis Marshall/Standard-Democrat)

It was the third straight season Delta and Oran met for the conference title. The Lady Eagles were victorious in the first meeting, while the Ladycats came away with the win in the past two contests.

“We were ready,” said Delta senior Allie Hampton. “We knew this was going to be the last time we played them and we knew we had to make it count.”

Delta will travel to Park Hills Central (15-3) on Thursday, Feb. 2. The Lady Rebels are currently the fourth-ranked team in Class 4.

“It will be a good test for us,” Heeb said.

Oran will host Oak Ridge (7-9) on Wednesday, Jan. 30.

__DELTA 68, ORAN 39__

Oran 10 11 5 11 — 37

Delta 10 22 26 8 — 66

__Oran (37) —__ Haley Webb 17, Grace Davis 9, Bralynn Morgan 9, Taylor Hobbs 2. FG: 11. FT: 12-18. F: 13. (3-pointers: Morgan 1, Webb 1, Davis 1. Fouled out: none.)

__Delta (66) —__ Jade Berry 20, Addison Nichols 18, Teriana Crowden 8, Sierra Berry 8, Allie Hampton 6, Olivia Wagoner 4, Trinity Vandeven 2. FG: 26. FT: 4-10. F: 15. (3-pointers; Jade Berry 4, Nicholas 3, Crowden 2, Wagoner 1. Fouled out: none.)