By: Joe Blystone
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
publisher@thevillagereporter.com
METAMORA (January 3, 2025) – Two weeks ago Evergreen tried to slow down fast paced Delta and were unsuccessful, losing 35-22.
The Vikings tried the same tactic again in a rematch at Evergreen and again the Panthers chalked up a 13-point win, this time 43-30, to remain unbeaten at 9-0 on the season and now 1-0 in the NWOAL.
Delta shattered the Vikings deliberate attempt to bring the game to a crawl, shutting out Evergreen in the first quarter to take a 12-0 lead, then holding the Vikings to just one first half field goal, as the Panthers margin ballooned to a 19-point bulge by halftime.
“Fortunately, we created a big lead in the first half this time,” Delta coach Kelsey Gillen said. “Fundamentally we fell apart in the second half at times.”
“Coming up on the end of winter break from school is catching up with some people. Not going to bed until late and not having to get up for school just throws the day off. We still got the win and that’s what’s important.”
Abbey Todd got loose for a pair of shots from behind the arc in the first quarter while Keagyn Gillen, Anna Lohman and Addison Wyse added hoops as the Panthers shot 5/9 in the first quarter.
McKenzie Kruger, Kendall Sprow and Gillen tacked on hoops in the second around four Evergreen free throws to make it 18-4 before Lanae Manz hit a triple to break a string of 14 straight misfires from the field for the Vikings.
Kruger’s back-to-back buckets in the last 49 seconds increased the Delta lead to 26-7 by halftime.
Two buckets from Wyse and another by Sprow gave Delta their biggest lead, 32-7 with 5:54 left in the third.
Evergreen chopped into the lead late as Bailey Lumbrezer canned a three-pointer and Manz hit two more to slice the large Delta lead to the final margin.
Evergreen shot 7/46 (15%) for the game while the Panthers finished 20/51 (39%). Gillen’s 10 points led a balanced Delta attack.
“Some of our big scorers weren’t hitting tonight,” Gillen stated. “Keagyn was one who scored tonight who typically doesn’t all the time.”
“You have to want the basketball in your hands and look to attack and finally tonight she was willing to try that a little more and thankfully it helped us out.”
Manz had 14 to pace Evergreen (6-6, 1-1 NWOAL).
DELTA (43) – Lohman 4; Todd 7; Kruger 6; Friess 0; Sprow 8; Wyse 8; K. Gillen 10; Perdew 0; Totals: 18-2-1 – 43
EVERGREEN (30) – Risner 0; Manz 14; Lumbrezer 8; Vaculik 2; K. Emmitt 2; Burgermeister 4; A. Emmitt 0; Radel 0; Totals: 4-4-10 – 30
DHS 12 14 8 9 – 43
EHS 0 7 12 11 – 30
Junior Varsity: Evergreen, 36-12