Delta beats JCHS (02/13/2009)

MUNCIE - Two formulas have worked against the Patriots.

The full-court, non-stop pressure strategy paid off for Muncie Southside and Winchester. The pack-it-in and make them shoot 3-pointers approach got the job done for Bellmont, Anderson Highland, and again Thursday night for Delta.

After giving up some inside hoops early, the host Eagles tightened up their defense and used their size advantage to limit the Jay County High School boys basketball team to single opportunities. They watched the visitors miss 14 3-point shots, and then got a triple and a steal of their own to finish off a 47-35 defeat of the Patriots.

"We were 1-of-13 from three last night, 2-of-16 tonight," said JCHS coach Craig Teagle of his team's outside shooting. "We don't have the size where you can go into the post and get a score or a foul when you need to. So we've got to rely on the outside shot some and we're just not hitting it right now.

"And when you don't hit shots, it puts extra pressure on your defense because you've got to be almost perfect on that end. And it's pretty hard to be, especially against a very good basketball team like Delta."

The deficit for Jay County (11-5) fluctuated between nine and 11 points for most of the game after the Eagles took control with an 11-0 run bridging the first and second quarters. The Patriots trimmed it to six twice in the fourth quarter, but Delta (13-4) had a response.

First Skyler Case buried a 3-pointer from the left corner, one of only three long balls for the Eagles in the game. And then Greg Heban picked JCHS point guard Kyle Simmons' pocket and went for the lay-up to push the lead to 44-33 with four minutes left.

"We really needed a stop there and they hit a big shot," said Teagle. "They just kept reversing the ball and we have to pinch so much because of our size that we're going to give up some outside shots. And they hit a big shot. And then we turned it over right away and we couldn't have that."

Delta missed six free throws, including the front end of three one-and-one opportunities, in the final four minutes. But the Patriots' only points during that span came on a pair of Eric Homan free throws.

Coach Paul Keller of the Eagles said he was thrilled to get the win, his team's 10th in its last 11 games, but also expressed sympathy for Jay County.

The Patriots are in the midst of playing six games in 12 days as they make up their five postponed games, some of which were called off more than once.

"In all fairness, Jay is really tired," said Keller. "This has been brutal for them I know. We tried to press them some early to try to wear on them a little. I feel for them because I know this after the game last night ... it's tough on a team.

"Skylar hit the three and Greg Heban had a great steal. The three is big, but then the great defensive play at the other end seals the deal and maybe takes the heart out of them just a little bit."

Jay County led 8-6 in the opening period, but the Eagles went on an 11-0 run capped by Tanner Wehlage's 3-pointer to open the second period. It trailed by 11 at halftime, and shot just 2-of-8 from the field in the fourth quarter.

Wehlage and Case each scored nine points to lead the Eagles, who shot 49 percent from the field and reached double figures in every quarter. Dane Humphrey added eight points, and Seth Smoot scored seven.

"I thought we played well offensively," said Keller. "We got the ball in the post and we didn't force it once we got it in ... The kids really executed that well and made the extra pass. That's why we got some pretty good looks."

Adam Garringer's nine points led the Patriots, who shot just 39 percent from the field. Eric Homan and Jacob Westlake each added nine points.

Jay County, which played without Lance Franklin because of an illness, has lost five of its last eight games after a school-record 9-0 start. It has shot below 40 percent in three of those defeats.

Homan added eight rebounds, Simmons dished out five assists and Westlake got high praise from Teagle for his overall effort.

"He goes hard. But he practices that way too. I've never seen him have a bad practice effort-wise or a bad game effort-wise," said Teagle. "He gives you everything he has every single minute he's on the floor."

Junior varsity

The Patriots played stifling defense and held on for a 22-19 victory over Delta.

Jay County gave up just one field goal each in the first, second and third quarters to build a 14-8 lead. The Eagles managed 11 fourth-quarter points in the defensive struggle, but it was not enough as JCHS improved to 15-1.

Garrett Krieg scored eight points in just two quarters of play to lead the Patriots. Drew Houck and Matt Landfair chipped in four points apiece.

Zach Overfield paced Delta with seven points.

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