On Jan. 4, both Varsity Oracle basketball programs squared off in their own gym against Carroll. The stands were packed and provided a great atmosphere all night. The girls’ team got the party started off right away and the boys’ team put the icing on the cake.

The Lady Oracles rose to the occasion and started the night on a 16 to 3 run. They would not look back as they entered halftime ahead 25-8. High pressure defense was one of their biggest factors of their success. Carroll had a very tough time throughout the game even getting shots off, let alone making them. Delphi increased their lead in the third quarter before laying off the gas pedal in the fourth, as they cruised to the victory.The final score was 54-32 with Delphi having the winning effort.
The defensive effort from the ladies led to them to a count of 18 steals and a block. Junior Lillie Smith had a memorable night as she battled through foul trouble to record a double double with 13 points and 12 rebounds. That is not to mention that she also had a game high of seven steals. Sophomore Karissa Tomson came off the bench to add 10 points on 57% shooting.

Moving on to the boys’ team, they also had an energetic start to their game. The Oracles’ man to man press had their opponents on their heels. Delphi started the game scoring 13 while outscoring their rivals by 3. However, Carroll was able to bounce back and narrowed Delphi’s lead to two halfway through the second quarter. The Oracles were able to extend their lead to 23-17 at half. The lead was constant in the third quarter as both teams scored under 10 points for the 2nd straight quarter. The last period in the game was high level entertainment, as the game was in doubt until the last minute of the game. Carroll’s three point shots were falling and a long Oracle scoring drought allowed for the score difference to tighten. Nevertheless, Senior Seth Waters closed out the game by going 4 for 4 at the charity stripe when the shots counted the most. When the buzzer read zero, the scoreboard showed that Delphi was the victor by a count of 45-40.

Senior Garrett Tomson was the catalyst for the team as he shook off recent shooting struggles to go three for seven from deep. The rest of the team was a combined 1 for 8 on three pointers. Junior Zach Townsend’s play was a huge factor in the outcome of the game as he recorded a 10 point, 13 rebound double double. Coach Brian McCammon stated, “A win against Carroll always feels good.” along with highlighting Zach and Garrett for their efforts in the game.

With both teams now 1-0 against Carroll on the season, they have added to Delphi’s triumph over their rival school this year.