Eagles edge Indees in DC play

After taking a big lead at halftime, the Independence boys basketball team struggled in the second half, falling to Alma/Pepin, 61-60, on Friday. 

The Indees led by nine points at halftime, but the Eagles went on a run early in the second half to take the lead. The teams went back and forth, but the Eagles executed better down the stretch to get the win.

The loss put Independence’s record at 6-17 on the season and 2-11 in Dairyland Conference play, tied with Gilmanton for last place in the DC-Small. The last place team will be decided on Thursday when the teams finish the regular season with Gilmanton playing at Independence. It will be the last game between the two schools for the foreseeable future as a cooperative agreement between the two districts begins next season.

The Indees are the 11th seed in their Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association Division Five bracket and will open tournament play at (6) Loyal this coming Tuesday. The winner will play the winner of the game between (14) Eleva-Strum and (3) Alma/Pepin next Friday.

A/P 61 Independence 60

The Indees had a lead late, but the Eagles executed better down the stretch.

Independence led by nine points at halftime, but the Eagles began the second half with a 14-3 run. Independence rebounded to regain the lead and had a 51-50 advantage, but the Eagles took the lead and never gave it back.

The Indees had a chance to get the win down the stretch as they rebounded a miss, trailing 59-57, but a turnover gave the ball right back to the Eagles. Two free throws put A/P ahead by four points. The Indees pushed the ball down the floor and Tyler Kingsbury made a three pointer in the closing seconds, but it wasn’t enough.

The Indees shot 44.4 percent from the field in the game and made 10-of-21 three pointers, but they had six more turnovers than the Eagles. 

Brandon Sylla led Independence with 23 points, while Kingsbury added 21 and Ben Pyka scored 13.

Independence (field goals/attempts-free throws/attempts-rebounds-fouls-points) — Kingsbury 7/18-3/7-5-1-21 B. Pyka 5/8-1/10-8-5-13 Sylla 7/16-6/6-5-3-23 Santillian 0/0-0/0-1-0-0 Montalvo 0/0-0/0-1-1-0 Mendoza 1/1-0/0-0-0-3 N. Pyka 0/2-0/0-4-3-0 Flores 0/0-0/0-3-1-0