Delta avenges loss to Chaffee in conference championship thriller

The Delta Bobcats girls basketball team defeated the Chaffee Red Devils 62-50 in the Scott Mississippi Conference Tournament Championship on Thursday at Oak Ridge High School.

The win avenges Delta's loss to Chaffee on December 12 in the Red Devil Invitational and sets up a tiebreaker game on February 10 in Delta.

“I think they're as good as just about anybody we want to see in Class 1. They've got a good team. They're big, they're athletic, and they play hard, and tonight they shot the ball well. Carly-Anne Cossou, that's the best game I've ever seen her play,” Delta head coach David Heeb said. “I've known her since she was a little kid, what a great game by Carly-Anne. Hats off to Chaffee, it was two good teams tied up going into the fourth quarter where anything goes.”

As most saw coming, the first quarter of the game was a neck-and-neck track meet with contact. Both teams played physically and quickly, but Delta had the advantage after the first 13-6.

The second began in Chaffee’s favor with Carly-Anne Cossou leading the charge with 16 points in the quarter. Delta held a slim 29-26 lead entering the half.

More physical play in the third made for an exciting finish as the teams were tied 41-41 heading into the final frame. Delta’s Jade Berry completely took over the game with back to back to back threes to give her team a 52-41 lead early in the quarter. From there, Delta just had to hold onto the lead and they did just that to take home the victory.

Heeb was happy with the win but said his team needs to do better with leads in the future.

“When you get a lead like that, the good teams extend them. We let them kind of chip back into it just a little bit. We missed some free throws and had a couple silly turnovers. I thought in the fourth quarter, Jade got really hot,” Heeb said. “I think the big thing was the other four kids out there, especially Raelin and Lillie. They came and got the ball and helped Jade more than they did the rest of the game. I thought Raelynn and Lily doing that allowed Jade to be open.”

Delta will play at Meadow Heights on Monday at 7:30 p.m., while Chaffee will travel to Scott County Central on Monday at 7:30 p.m.