PEDRO – It was a case of cutting the game in half.

Tuesday, February 13, 2001

PEDRO – It was a case of cutting the game in half. Halfcourt, that is. The Chesapeake Panthers took away the Minford Lady Falcons running game and used a stingy halfcourt defense to post a 54-32 win Monday in the opening round of the Division III sectional tournament at Rock Hill High School.

"We’ve preached to the girls that halfcourt defense carries you in the tournament. Everyone is tight in the tournament and you don’t get out and run as well," Panthers coach Chad Belville said.

"Our second and third quarter defense was unreal. We really did a good job defensively."

Chesapeake (12-9) now meets top-seeded and unbeaten Oak Hill (20-0) at 1 p.m. Saturday in the sectional finals.

Erin Sutphin had 17 points, four rebounds, three assists, and three steals to lead the win. Lisa Perry had a big all-around game with 15 points – 10 the first half – to go with 11 assists and three steals.

Emily Delimpo had six rebounds and five steals.

Amanda Porter scored 16 points for Minford (11-10).

Porter scored eight points the first quarter as Minford jumped out to a 12-9 lead. Perry hit a 3-pointer and scored five points to keep Chesapeake close.

The defense then limited Minford without a field goal the second quarter and the dry spell carried over into the third quarter. In all, Minford went more than 13 minutes without a field goal.

Perry and Sutphin had five points each the second quarter as Chesapeake outscored Minford 13-1 to take a 22-13 halftime lead. The only Lady Falcons point was a foul shot by Amy Wheeler.

Chesapeake’s defense continued to pour it on in the third quarter by holding Minford to seven points in building a 36-20 lead.

"We just made up our minds the second quarter we were going to play defense and we just took over the game," Belville said.

"Since Kim Frye went down, Emily Delimpo has really kicked her game up, and (Michelle) Elkins and (Michelle) Christian did a great job again. We don’t look for big numbers from them, but between them they do a great job."

The duo of Elkins and Christian combined for 12 rebounds, four points, and two steals.

Minford 12 1 7 12 – 32

Chesapeake 9 13 14 18 – 54

MINFORD (11-10): Cristy Skaggs 0 0 0-2 0, Amy Wheeler 0 0 1-3 1, Arrika Shonkwiler 1 0 0-0 2, Jessica James 2 0 0-0 4, Amanda Porter 7 0 2-2 16, Cathy Brown 0 0 0-0 0, Michelle Martin 0 0 0-0 0, Brittany McGraw 0 0 1-2 1, Erica Lawrence 0 0 0-0 0, Mandy Miller 0 0 0-0 0, Janis Coriell 0 0 0-0 0, Lori Arthur 0 0 6-6 6, Brittany Rudd 0 0 2-2 2. Totals: 10 0 12-17 32. Fouls: 17. Fouled out: None.

CHESAPEAKE (12-9): Lisa Perry 3 2 3-4 15, Erin Sutphin 5 2 1-3 17, Michelle Elkins 1 0 2-4 4, Ashley Mayenchein 0 1 0-0 3, Emily Delimpo 4 0 4-5 12, Amanda Bartoe 0 0 0-0 0, Megan Johnson 1 0 1-2 3, Jennifer Rice 0 0 0-0 0, Michelle Christian 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 14 (5) 11-18 54. Fouls: 18. Fouled out: Mayenchein. Rebounds: 15-9=24 (Christian 7, Delimpo 6, Sutphin 4). Assists: 16 (Perry 11, Sutphin 3). Steals: 16 (Delimpo 5, Perry 3, Suthpin 3, Mayenchein 3). Turnovers: 16.

Officials: Chuck McKnight, Ivan Hanshaw, Bobby Crockrel.