No. 9 Jay tops Delta (02/09/07)

MUNCIE - Don't let the final score fool you.

The result of Thursday night's game was never in doubt in the final minute, even though Class 3A No. 9 Jay County ended up with just a 47-44 victory over the host Delta Eagles.

The Patriots (14-3) were up 44-32 with just a minute to play before Delta started draining desperation 3-pointers. The Eagles hit four in the final minute, the final long ball coming at the buzzer as Jay County was simply trying not to foul.

"There's not near as much pressure on you when you're down 10 or 12 points. (The shots) were contested, we were right there, it's just that those are a lot easier to shoot and hit," said JCHS coach Craig Teagle, whose team had lost five straight in the series. "They hit 4-of-7 threes in the last minute. In the end you've got nothing to lose."

The last win for the Patriots against Delta came by a 61-56 score in 2002, the year the Eagles went on to win the Class 3A state title. Jay County's last victory at Delta came by a 52-51 score in 1999.

Despite his team hitting the host of late shots, Delta coach Paul Keller said his team's defense was the bigger problem. His team allowed the Patriots to hit for 47 percent, including 13-of-22 (59 percent) from two-point range.

On the other hand, Jay County turned in another outstanding defensive effort and looked as if it would hold back-to-back opponents under 40 points before the Eagles' barrage of late 3-pointers.

"I thought our kids did a really good job, not only of contesting shots, but putting ball pressure on and forcing them out of their offense," said Teagle, whose squad has limited the opposition to 40 or fewer points seven times this year and allowed 50 or more just twice. "Every time they tried to run an offense they couldn't deliver the ball where they wanted to."

The only two back-to-back hoops by Delta before the final minute came at the close of the first half, cutting the Patriot advantage to just 20-19. But JCHS, which has now won seven in a row, took control with a quick seven-point spurt early in the second half.

After the Eagles (6-12) tied the score at 21, Billy Wellman worked the boards and scored on his second put-back try. Clint Muhlenkamp hit a jumper on the next trip down the floor, and Wellman added a 3-pointer from a Luke Goetz assist to push Jay County to a 28-21 lead.

Delta, which has lost seven games this year by six or fewer points, never got closer than four until Ronnie Davenport's triple at the buzzer.

The Eagles had a chance to grab the momentum early in the fourth quarter when Jay County was called for a goaltending violation and a charging foul on back-to-back possessions. But the Patriot defense allowed nothing on the opposite end, and Scott "Scooter" Bruggeman eventually converted a Wellman assist for a 3-pointer and a 35-26 lead.

"Sometimes when you think things go against you, you have a tendency maybe to cave in and get frustrated. I thought our kids decided to pick up the defensive effort," said Teagle. "I thought our intensity raised another level. For about two or two-and-a-half minutes there we just dictated the tempo both offensively and defensively."

Jay County kept two outstanding offensive streaks alive, hitting for 50 percent from the field for the fourth straight game as Comer scored in double figures for his eighth in a row.

Comer scored in double figures for the eighth straight game, finishing with 16 points to lift his team-best scoring average to 12.8. He shot 6-of-7 from the field, including a perfect 4-for-4 in the first half, and shared the game-high of six rebounds.

Bruggeman followed his senior teammate with 12 points, and Wellman grabbed six rebounds.

"He's really put us on his shoulders offensively and done a lot of nice things," said Teagle of Comer, who was last held to single digits Jan. 5 by Mississinewa. "He's been more aggressive trying to score. ...

"Scott (Bruggeman) did a good job attacking too. We've moved him off the point guard spot some ... because we need that increase in scoring. That's allowed him to go to the basketball a lot more."

Tyler Ridge's nine points were a team-high for Delta. Ronnie Davenport added eight points and three rebounds, and Brady Young also scored eight points.

Junior varsity

A 7-1 fourth-quarter run lifted the Patriots to the lead and Kyle Simmons hit a couple of free throws with four seconds left to give them a 44-41 victory over Delta.

Simmons' 3-pointer with 2:48 left in the game tied the score at 36. The Eagles pushed ahead again with a free throw on the next possession, but Adam Garringer and Aaron Daniels followed with back-to-back lay-ups to give the Patriots (14-3) the lead for good.

Delta got to within a single point twice, but Derek Bartlett hit a lay-up with 27 seconds left to push the advantage back to three and Simmons hit two free throws in the final seconds. A desperation 3-pointer at the buzzer by the Eagles' Logan Young was no good.

Simmons led the Patriots, hitting a pair of 3-pointers in a 10-point effort. Daniels and Zack Hummer each finished with nine points.

Garth Glore's 12 points led Delta.[[In-content Ad]]