Top-seeded Saxony Lutheran girls basketball team marches past Woodland, into Delta New Year's championship game

DELTA, Mo. -- The first few minutes of Tuesday's first championship semifinal at the Delta New Year's Tournament didn't play out to the expectations of Saxony Lutheran girls basketball coach Sam Sides, but his team quickly turned things around.

The top-seeded Crusaders watched fourth-seeded Woodland jump out to an early five-point lead but closed the quarter with 16 straight points and were never threatened the rest of the way, advancing to the championship game with a 61-20 victory.

Brianna Mueller had a game-high 12 points to lead Saxony (9-2), while Laurel Mueller added 10 points off the bench. The Crusaders had 11 players contribute in scoring.

"I thought we were sluggish," Sides said. "We kind of looked past them a little bit and weren't ready, but the bench came in there and kind of inspired us a little bit. We played harder. Our energy picked up there in the second quarter. I thought we did some good things there, and then we kind of went back to being sluggish in the third quarter and had to get restarted again.

"But I think a lot of that's a credit to Woodland. They played pretty good defense and challenged shots. They didn't give us a lot of second opportunities, and they guard the ball pretty well. They outhustled us a few times, and that's not acceptable. ... I thought Woodland outworked us a few times."

Saxony Lutheran's Masyn McWilliams tries to shoot against Woodland's Heidi Green, left, Krista Rhodes, Hannah Scott and Cheyenne Wells during the second quarter of a semifinal game in the Delta New Year's Tournament Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2016 in Delta, Missouri. (Fred Lynch)

Krista Rhodes' knocked down a 3-pointer to give Woodland (8-3) a 5-0 lead early in the first quarter, but Saxony answered with a 16-0 run to close the quarter. Grace Mirly capped the run with a trey from the left elbow.

A bucket by Whitney Lincoln trimmed the Cardinals' deficit to 18-9 with 4 minutes, 58 seconds left in the first half before Masyn McWilliams answered with a bucket that sparked a 13-0 run for Saxony in the final 4:09 of the half. The Crusaders carried a 31-9 advantage into halftime.

McWilliams added eight points off the bench, including six in the fourth quarter, and Sides was pleased to see her contribution provide his team with a much-needed spark.

"She's kind of been coming off a sore neck and some concussion-like symptoms, so we kind of eased her back into it. But we need all those girls to contribute when they can if they're healthy," Sides said. "Tonight they did that, and it really made a big difference in the game."

Saxony Lutheran's Ali Galemmo beats Woodland's Whitney Lincoln to the ball in the corner during the third quarter of a semifinal game in the Delta New Year's Tournament Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2016 in Delta, Missouri. (Fred Lynch)

The Crusaders outscored the Cardinals 30-11 in the second half and forced a running clock at the 5:55 mark of the final period. Lincoln finished with seven points to lead Woodland.

Saxony will take on No. 2 Oran in the championship at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, and Sides said his players needs to perform better if they intend on handing the Eagles their first loss of the season.

"We've got to play well," Sides said. "No matter who we're playing, I try to concern ourself with us and not so much the other team. ... We've got to be ready to go regardless of who we're playing.

"We've got to play with intensity all the time, and sometimes we don't do that if we're not mentally ready when the game starts."

Woodland 5 4 8 3 -- 20

Saxony 16 15 14 16 -- 61

WOODLAND (20) -- Whitney Lincoln 7, Cheyenne Wells 4, Krista Rhodes 3, Kelsie Long 2, Hannah Scott 2, Ciara Rainbolt 2. FG 8, FT 3-11, F 11. (3-pointers: Rhodes 1. Fouled out: None.)

SAXONY (61) -- Brianna Mueller 12, Laurel Mueller 10, Ali Galemmo 8, Masyn McWilliams 8, Grace Mirly 7, Tess Daniel 4, Maddie Brune 3, Briann Jenkins 3, Courtney Kester 2, Ashlynn Collier 2, Callie Brown 2. FG 27, FT 4-9, F 10. (3-pointers: Mirly 1, L. Mueller 1, B. Mueller 1. Fouled out: None.)