Delta girls advance to Class 1 quarterfinals

PARK HILLS -- Jodi Menz was her own harshest critic after Delta's narrow victory in the Class 1 state sectional Tuesday night.

"I didn't play very well," Menz said. "I couldn't make nothing tonight. And then, finally, I came through."

Menz scored six of her 11 points in the fourth quarter to help the Bobcats past Tuscumbia 43-40 at Park Hills Central.

Delta (21-5) advances to play 2:45 p.m. Saturday against Bakersfield (19-8) at Three Rivers Community College.

Menz and Taylor Smith, the only two starters back from last year's Class 1 state runner-up team, combined for 27 points. Smith hit three 3-pointers on her way to 16 points to lead Delta, which is trying to make its third final four in four years.

ELIZABETH DODD ~ edodd@semissourian.comDelta's Lynn McQuin celebrates with teammates after the Bobcats beat Tuscumbia 43-40 in a Class 1 sectional game Tuesday at Park Hills Central.

"I've had a slump the past few games," Smith said, "and I just came out ready tonight and told myself, 'We're going to do good and I'm going to do everything in my power to keep us from losing and keep us moving on.' I've just been working on my shot a lot since we had time off."

Delta won its District 3 by default -- its 13th district title and ninth straight -- as the last team standing when Scott County Central folded its team earlier this season.

Tuscumbia finished 20-7 after winning its second straight district title. Last year's quarterfinal appearance was the program's first trip to the playoffs.

Junior guard Kirsten Patterson scored 19 points to lead the Lions, while 5-foot-10 Tierney Webb, one of four senior starters, had 14 points.

But Delta controlled both players in the second half while rallying from a 27-23 deficit. Patterson had just six points in the second half as her penetration through Delta's defense was limited. Webb had four points -- with just one field goal -- as the Bobcats outscored the Lions 20-13.

ELIZABETH DODD ~ edodd@semissourian.comDelta's Jodi Menz, left, Taylor Smith, Courtney Burton and Kendra Burnett sit for the final timeout in the final seconds of the game that ended with a Delta victory 43-40 in the Class 1 girls tournament Tuesday at Central in Park Hills.

"Taylor Smith did a real nice job on [Patterson]," Delta first-year coach Mark Verticchio said. "We switched up a little bit with 1-2-2 to 2-3 to diamond [defenses] and back. Courtney Burton did a really nice job getting out to the corner [on Webb], and Courtney did a great job directing traffic. Little things like Taylor Keys going out to guard her the last three possessions because she's our best on-ball defender. She really got the job done and made her turn it over."

The final 50 seconds after Delta took a 42-38 lead on Menz's basket seemed to linger a while with some turnovers and timeouts. Patterson hit two free throws with 26.6 seconds left to cut the deficit to two.

When Smith uncharacteristically missed a free throw with 23 seconds to play -- "I just thought about it too much," she said -- Tuscumbia had its chances. But the Lions' final shot was a desperation 3-pointer by Jordyn Musick that hit the top of the backboard and went out of bounds.

"There was like 5 million timeouts and so many things were running through our heads," Smith said. "We just knew for sure they couldn't get a 3, and I had four fouls so I knew I couldn't foul. We didn't want No. 20 [Patterson] to get it. When I saw the shot hit the top of the backboard, I was like, 'Thank God.'"

Delta led 15-12 after the first period when Smith banked in a 3-pointer at the buzzer for the Bobcats' third trey of the period. Smith hit another 3 to make it 19-16 in the second period, but Tuscumbia scored the next seven points before Menz scored to stop the streak.

ELIZABETH DODD ~ edodd@semissourian.comDelta's Taylor Smith drives to the basket against a Tuscumbia defender during the second half. Smith finished with a team-high 16 points.

Delta's defense held Tuscumbia to two points over the opening five minutes of the second half, but the Bobcats also struggled on offense.

Burton scored the first three points of the fourth period, and Smith put Delta ahead for good 36-35 by following her own missed 3 for a layup with 3:43 to go.

"As soon as I missed the shot, I knew the rebound was going to be long and I just went in there and got it," Smith said.

On Delta's next possession, Menz missed a shot but then grabbed Burton's miss and scored for a 38-35 lead. After Webb scored with a shot from the baseline, Menz scored again with 1:19 to go for a 40-37 lead. And Delta's lone senior scored again 29 seconds later for a 42-38 lead.

"Not only is Jodi a scorer for us, but she also rebounds and is very a good defender," Smith said. "Everybody has their off nights, but your defense can make it up, and she did."

@z_agate_HSbasketball_linescore:Delta 43, Tuscumbia 40

Delta158812--43

Tuscumbia121567--40

@z_agate_no tab_no indnt_bld ld:Delta (43) -- Taylor Smith 16, Kendra Burnett 3, Jodi Menz 11, Samantha Bartels 6, Courtney Burton 5, Amanda Rozmirsky 2. FG 17, FT 4-11, F 13 (3-pointers: Smith 3, Bartels 2. Fouled out: none)

Tuscumbia (40) -- Kirsten Patterson 19, Jordyn Musick 2, Whitney Lawson 5, Tierney Webb 14. FG 16, FT 7-8, F 12. (3-pointers: Patterson 1. Fouled out: none)