SCOTT CITY USES LINE ON DELTA, PICKS UP VICTORY

SCOTT CITY -- Free throws aren't flashy like slam dunks and 3-pointers, but they can be very effective in deciding the outcome of a basketball game.

Just ask Scott City point guard Tim Lowery.

The 5-10 senior drained 13 consecutive free throws over the final two minutes of Tuesday's 74-71 victory over Delta to help the state-ranked Rams hold off the Bobcats in a Scott-Mississippi Conference contest.

The win improved Scott City, ranked sixth in Class 2A, to 13-1 and 5-0 in the league. Delta fell to 10-4 overall and 1-2 in the conference.

With the Rams leading 61-56 with less than 3:00 minutes left, Lowery shot every Scott City free throw down the stretch.

"Tim's a three-year starter and he's the kind of player we want at the free-throw line late in the game," said Scott City coach Derek McCord. "He's made big shots in the past for us and we were glad to see the ball in his hands in those situations."

Lowery's only miss came on his final free throw with 4.8 seconds left and the Rams leading 74-71. He still had a team-high 20 points.

"I couldn't believe I missed it," Lowery said with a grin. "I was mad."

The miss allowed the Bobcats one last shot to tie the game, but Garrett DeBrock's half-court shot slammed off the right side of the backboard.

"There were two closely-matched teams out here," said Delta coach Nate Crowden. "We just made too many mental mistakes. We need to eliminate those."

Delta senior Shawn Kinder didn't make a whole lot of those mistakes. The 5-10 guard drilled five 3-pointers and scored a game-high 31 points.

Said McCord: "Going into the game we wanted to stop Kinder's penetration, but he was hard to control."

Trailing 71-65 following two free throws by Lowery with 30 seconds left, Kinder tossed in two late 3-pointers to close the gap to 73-71 with 7-seconds left.

Lowery was fouled seconds later with a chance to put the contest out of reach. He made the first free throw to give him 15 of the Rams' 22 fourth-quarter points. The Rams made 16 of 19 free throws in the final quarter and 22 of 29 in the game

"I don't really feel that much pressure shooting free throws," Lowery said. "I'm a senior and should be used to those situations. I want to be shooting those free throws at the end (of the game)."

After a 12-12 first quarter, Scott City pulled ahead in the second frame by controlling Delta's leading scorer DeBrock. Scott City's Blaine Bruce held DeBrock to just two free throws in the first half and 13 points in the game. Senior Ryan Livingston added 10 points for Delta.

A late Scott City surge, sparked by four points from 6-foot-5 sophomore Ryan Weatherspoon, put the Rams ahead 33-28 at halftime. Teammate Jon Beck took over the third quarter, scoring 13 of his 18 points in the period to push the Rams' lead to 52-44 entering the fourth quarter. Weatherspoon finished with 16 points.