Jay fends off Delta down the stretch

Both teams came out hot from the perimeter.

But the Patriots had more makes from close range.

The Eagles had the edge from distance after halftime, though they weren’t able to keep up from the charity stripe.

Jay County High School’s boys basketball team went 8-of-13 from the free-throw line in the fourth quarter to fend off the Delta Eagles for a 58-49 victory on Friday night.

“I’m proud of our kids,” said JCHS coach Jerry Bomholt, whose Patriot team had lost six straight games to Delta, including twice last year. “They did a great job and deserve this one.”

Jay County, which travels to Madison to play in the Jefferson County Invitational Tournament on Wednesday and Thursday, improves to 5-1. Delta, meanwhile, dipped to 2-4 on the year.

“I thought we executed pretty well,” said Delta coach Mark Detweiler. “Our effort was really good. We knew our effort would have to be good in terms of just the toughness categories because of their size and athleticism.”

A Bennett Weitzel bucket late in the fourth quarter gave Jay County a 54-43 lead over Delta, the only double-digit advantage for either team on the night.

Delta senior Neil Marshall, however, sandwiched a pair of quick 3-pointers around a JCHS turnover, trimming the margin from 11 points to just five in a hurry.

The last of which made Detweiler call timeout with 51.3 seconds remaining and the Eagles down 54-49.

Bomholt took the break in action to affirm to the Patriots two things: take care of the basketball and make free throws.

They responded.

Ethan Dirksen made both of his bonus free throws, then Gavin Muhlenkamp followed with a pair of charity tosses with 30 ticks to go. Following a Delta miss, the Patriots broke the full-court press, crossed midcourt and Muhlenkamp ran out the final 17 seconds.

Although Jay County had a few misses from the stripe in the fourth quarter, it ended the night 12-of-18 from the line. Delta was 9-for-10.

“We’re getting a little better on our free-throw shooting,” Bomholt said. “Every time you can make another free throw you can take a two-possession game and make it three.”

Jay County and Delta made a 3-point contest out of the first 16 minutes. Both teams drained three apiece in the first quarter — it was tied 13-13 — and they kept the script in the second.

Delta’s Jayden Furney made two triples around a Dirksen trey as Delta had a 19-16 advantage, but Blake Bogenschutz and Dusty Pearson each hit 3-pointers to put the Patriots on top. Clay Bragg tied the score with a perimeter basket of his own before Weitzel and Bogenschutz both had jumpers for Jay County, which went up 26-22 and never trailed again.

“Kind of had to pick our poison,” said Detweiler, who switched from his typical man-to-man defense in favor of a zone against the Patriots. “If they get that sort of balance where they make eight or 10 threes a night then they become very good.”

(Jay County was 8-of-18 from the arc while Delta went 10-for-28).

“That was probably the question mark going in was how well could they shoot the perimeter shots,” Detweiler continued. “We knew what Dirksen could do getting to the rim (and) his playmaking ability.”

Bomholt on Delta’s 3-point shooting: “They shoot a lot of threes. We knew that. We did the best we could and that makes up for some deficiencies.”

While both teams had a half dozen triples in the first half, Jay County had five 2-point field goals compared to just one for Delta.

Marshall made half of Delta’s 3-point shots on his way to a game-high 21 points. Jackson Wors, who was 7-of-8 from the free-throw line, ended with 11 points.

Dirksen paced Jay County with 19 points, and Weitzel joined him in double figures with 10 points, including nine in the fourth quarter, after not getting the start for the first time this season. He did not check in until the second period.

“Trying to get his attention and I thought we did,” Bomholt said “I thought he had a great game. I thought of all the kids he came through. He took the message the right way instead of pouting and feeling sorry for himself.

“We have to get that every game.”



Junior varsity

Jay County was outscored 19-2 in the second quarter in its 56-29 loss to Delta.

The Patriots were in a 7-0 hole to start the game and were down 7-5 at the end of the first quarter. Delta drained five 3-pointers in the second quarter — like their varsity counterparts they had 10 for the game — and led 26-7 at intermission.

Jay County was never able to get the deficit to single digits.

Liam Garringer led Jay County with eight points, while Abraham Dirksen followed with seven points. Parker Nichols chipped in four points, as Jackson Edwards and Trevin Dunnington scored three apiece.

Delta’s Jordan Furney had a game-high 18 points.