Delta Upsets Blackhawk Christian in Nail-Biting 45-43 Win

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Starting Lineups:</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Delta:</strong> [player_tooltip player_id='2415959' first='Cooper' last='Bratton'] (SR), [player_tooltip player_id='2813685' first='Lucas' last='Bragg'] (JR), Bronson Edwards (SR), Chase Ritchie (SR), [player_tooltip player_id='1539482' first='Jordan' last='Furney'] (SR)<br><strong>Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian:</strong> Calvin Pickett (SR), [player_tooltip player_id='1738845' first='Briggs' last='Pardon'] (JR), [player_tooltip player_id='2539823' first='Drake' last='Sefton'] (FR), Bryce Stayton (SR), Luke Mansfield (SR)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>First Quarter:</strong></h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Bronson Edwards and [player_tooltip player_id='2415959' first='Cooper' last='Bratton'] tipped off, with Blackhawk Christian winning possession.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Stayton made the first bucket of the night with a contested three-pointer (3-0 Blackhawks). Edwards responded with an under-the-basket layup. Pickett answered with a euro step over three defenders (5-2 Blackhawks).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Furney was fouled on a layup and converted the and-1 to tie the game at 5. After some smooth ball movement, Mansfield grabbed a rebound and scored to put Blackhawk Christian up 7-5. He was then subbed out for Bryce Lacross (FR).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Delta made substitutions, bringing in Ryan Lynchin (FR) for Furney and [player_tooltip player_id='2813685' first='Lucas' last='Bragg'] for Ritchie after a shooting foul. Lynch made an immediate impact with a fadeaway mid-range jumper to close the gap to 8-7 Blackhawks at the end of the quarter.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Second Quarter:</strong></h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The teams returned with the same lineups.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Edwards put Delta ahead 9-8, but Stayton responded with his second three-pointer of the night. Pickett followed with an easy bucket under the rim (13-9 Blackhawks). Edwards kept Delta close with a fader off the backboard (13-11 Blackhawks).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Blackhawk Christian called a timeout with 5:48 left in the half.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Lacross drained a three, and Edwards answered with a layup. Lacross then used a pump fake to create space for another three (18-13 Blackhawks).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Furney confidently hit a deep three (18-16 Blackhawks), prompting another Blackhawk Christian timeout with 2:30 remaining. Delta subbed in [player_tooltip player_id='2675443' first='Jackson' last='Peters'] (SO) for Bragg.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1738845' first='Briggs' last='Pardon'] made a contested mid-range jumper, and Pickett drew a foul, sinking both free throws to close the half with Blackhawk Christian leading 22-18.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Third Quarter:</strong></h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Both teams started the second half with their original lineups.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Edwards opened the scoring with a three-pointer. Mansfield responded with an easy layup (24-21 Blackhawks). Ritchie fought through heavy defense for a tough layup (24-23 Blackhawks).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Lacross hit a deep three, followed by Pickett deflecting a layup attempt. Pardon took the ball in transition and drew a foul, converting both free throws. Delta took a timeout down 28-25 with 4:37 on the clock.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Burdy made a strong hop-step layup. Pardon followed up with a smooth finger roll. Delta called another timeout down 35-30.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>After the timeout, Pardon scored again with another finger roll.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Delta then went on a 10-0 run with outstanding ball movement, relentless defense, and an energetic playing style. Burdy sparked the run with a hustle-play layup. Bragg nailed a corner three. Bratton sank a deep three. Bragg finished with a layup (35-30 Delta).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Ritchie capped off the run and the quarter with a strong drive to the rim (37-30 Delta).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Fourth Quarter:</strong></h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Edwards started the quarter with a strong layup (39-30 Delta).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Blackhawk Christian responded with a 7-0 run, featuring a Sefton three-pointer, two Pickett layups, and an and-1 finish. Sefton then drained another three (39-38 Delta).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Delta took a timeout with 3:31 remaining.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Out of the break, Pickett blocked Edwards' fadeaway attempt, drew a foul, and made both free throws, giving Blackhawk Christian the lead (40-39 Blackhawks).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Edwards quickly answered with a fadeaway jumper (41-40 Delta).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Pardon committed two fouls, stopping the clock at :43. [player_tooltip player_id='2218634' first='Payton' last='Rhinehart'] (FR) checked in for him. Bragg made both of his free throws (43-40 Delta).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Blackhawk Christian called a timeout with :36 left.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Pardon hit a deep three off the inbound, tying the game at 43-43. Delta then called a timeout with :20 remaining.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>After the timeout, Delta executed their game plan perfectly, running 20 seconds avoiding Blackhawk Christian's defensive pressure. With three seconds left, Edwards drove to the left side, maneuvered through multiple defenders, and finished a contested left-handed layup to seal the win (45-43 Delta).</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->