Scott City girls rally to down Delta for Chaffee Invite championship

~ Katie Hogan helped lead Scott City past the Bobcats 57-50

CHAFFEE, Mo. -- Faced with being down eight points in the middle of the third quarter, Scott City coach Kerry Thompson decided to switch defenses.

Thompson went to a press and later a box-and-one to help Scott City erase the deficit and knock off Delta 57-50 in Saturday's championship game of the Chaffee Invitational girls basketball tournament.

"Changing the defenses up and going to a press changed the game," Thompson said. "Some girls came off the bench and applied some good pressure."

The game seesawed back and forth through the first half.

Scott City's Holli Shemonia takes a shot between Delta defenders Machela VanGennip, left, and Katie Brucker during the third quarter Saturday in Chaffee, Mo. (Fred Lynch)

Delta used a 5-0 run to surge ahead 9-7 before Scott City responded with a 6-0 run during the opening quarter. But a bucket by Delta's Taylor Smith and back-to-back 3-pointers by Samantha Bartels and Smith helped the Bobcats pull ahead 17-13.

But the Rams closed on another 6-0 run to enjoy a 19-17 advantage after one quarter.

Both teams forced numerous turnovers in the first, something the Rams knew they had to change.

"They shot the ball well," Rams senior Stephanie Essner said. "They played defense. Their full-court trap was very effective on us. We kept throwing the ball away."

The two teams battled it out defensively in the second, while the Bobcats held the Rams to two field goals and seven points.

"We went to a diamond-and-one and that helped us," Delta coach Mark Verticchio said. "Our press became effective."

The Bobcats closed the half on a 6-0 run to head into halftime up 29-26.

Smith led the way in the first half for Delta. The senior netted 10 points.

"She played very well," Verticchio said. "She spot shot real well. As a matter of fact, I thought she passed up some shots she should have shot."

The Bobcats continued their run to start the second half. A quick basket by freshman Machela VanGennip and a Smith 3-pointer extended the lead to eight points.

"They are well-coached," Thompson said. "They play hard. They can shoot it. They know basketball, they know how to move and spot up. The second quarter and halfway through the third I thought Delta had control of the game. We wanted to push the game, and we didn't get that going the second and third."

It didn't take the Rams long into the second half to figure out things.

The defensive switch was key in turning the tide.

"Our girls really played hard," Thompson said. "I think we got caught up in playing their style. I challenged them to stay positive. We preach all the time you have to react positive, and I challenged them and switched defenses and it worked."

Not only did the defense work, but Delta had no answer for the Rams' Katie Hogan.

Hogan finished with 18 points and 18 rebounds.

"She's awesome," Essner said of Hogan. "She's an all-around player. She can shoot and pass."

Hogan scored the last basket of the third to send her team into the fourth quarter holding a 42-41 lead.

Thompson put Essner on a box-and-one against Smith in the fourth, a move that proved to pay off for the Rams.

Essner stepped up in the fourth both offensively and defensively, holding Smith to six points and netting six of her 15 points.

"I really thought Stephanie showed a lot of leadership tonight," Thompson said of his senior guard. "She really helped us out."

Essner started the fourth with a 3-pointer to give the Rams a 45-41 advantage, but Delta rattled off five straight points to regain the lead.

But the lead was short-lived.

Two jumpers by Melanie Lacey, a free throw by Essner and Hogan, and a basket by Ashley Brant made an 8-0 run to give the Rams a 53-46 advantage they never relinquished.

Delta 17 12 12 9 -- 50

Scott City 19 7 16 15 -- 57

DELTA (50) -- Kendra Burnett 6, Taylor Smith 21, Machela VanGennip 11, Samantha Bartels 10, Courtney Burton 2. FG 21, FT 1-1, F 17. (3-pointers: Smith 5, Bartels 2. Fouled out: none)

SCOTT CITY (57) -- Ashley Brant 5, Stephanie Essner 15, Melanie Lacey 8, Tiffany Merritt 2, Katie Hogan 18, Holli Shemonia 7. FG 23, FT 9-17, F 10. (3-pointers: Essner 2. Fouled out: none)