For the first time since the 1989-90 season Carroll and Delphi boys basketball teams will play twice in the regular season. The two matched up last Wednesday night on Varsity Night at Carroll and will face each other again on Feb. 6 at Delphi.

It was a sweep for Carroll with the girls winning 57-32 and the boys downing a stubborn Oracle ball club 62-48.

The Cougars had the size and experience in this one. They started three seniors, one junior and one sophomore, while the Oracles started one senior, two juniors and two sophomores. The Cougars were also without the services of 6'7" center Adam Spesard who was sitting out a one game suspension.

The Oracles used their quickness to stay with the Cougars early. In the first half there was one tie and three lead changes before a bucket by Riley Eller gave the host team the lead at 10-8. A free throw by Kyle Geheb put Carroll up 7 at 15-8. An Austin Hawn trey pulled Delphi to within 4 at 17-13 after one.

Carroll used a 10-2 run to start the second period, opening up a 27-15 lead. Carson Spesard had 5 of Carroll's 10 points in the run. The Cougars looked to be in control, but the Oracles were not having any of it. They came back with 11 unanswered points and the Oracles were back in it. The Cougars held a slim 27-26 advantage at half-time.

With Delphi down 29-28, three points by Spesard and a trey by Eller pushed Carroll out to a 35-28 lead. From that point, the Cougars went up by 12 points, 49-37, at the end of three quarters.

The Oracles closed the gap to within 5 points at 51-46 with 6 minutes left in the game. The Cougars quickly pushed their lead back out to double digits, 57-46, on Primmer Zook's free throws and held on for the win.

The game was not won on free throws by the Cougars as down the stretch they shot a poor .375% from the line on 3 of 8 shooting. The deciding factor was Carroll's defense with the Cougars forcing 6 turnovers in the final quarter.

Eller and Spesard led all scorers with 20 points each. It was a career high for the 6'6" Spesard who also had a career high 13 rebounds for a double double on the night. Sophomore Noah Allen and Drew Yoder had 4 steals each and Allen handed out 5 assists. Delphi had four players in double figures - Hawn and Tanner Cripe had 13 apiece while Kris Bender and Dustin Salyer had 10 points each.

The Cougars were outscored 21-6 from behind the three-point line, but outscored Delphi 42-24 inside the line. Carroll was 23 of 53 (.434% overall) from the field and 14 of 24 (.583%) from the foul line, while Delphi was 19 of 42 (.452%) from the field and 3 of 9 (.333%) from the line. Carroll now leads in the overall series 32-22.

Next up for Carroll is a home game with Tri County with a 6 p.m. Junior Varsity start. Carroll leads the series 20-11, but has lost the last two meetings.