Indee boys drop two in DC play
Ben Pyka of Independence put up a shot in the lane during their game against Gilmanton on Friday. (Times photograph by Andrew Dannehy)
The Independence boys basketball team was close, but came up empty in two Dairyland Conference games last week.
The Indees had a one-point lead at halftime against Alma/Pepin, but the Eagles took control in the second half of a 49-37 win last Tuesday. On Friday, the Indees were in the game throughout, but the Gilmanton made more plays at the end to take a 57-54 win.
The losses kept the Indees winless in DC play at 0-13 and they’re overall record entering this week was 1-18. Their last regular season game was Thursday at Alma Center Lincoln.
Independence — the 15th seed — will begin Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association play this coming Tuesday when they at (2) Blair-Taylor. The winner of that game will pay the winner of (7) Coulee Christian/Providence Academy and (10) Brookwood next Friday.
A/P 49 Independence 37
The Indees were right in the game, but they couldn’t slow the Eagles down in the second half.
A late basket by Nathan Pyka put the Indees ahead 18-17 at halftime, but the Eagles responded with 32 points in the second half and Independence couldn’t keep pace.
The Indees shot 40 percent in the game as Tyler Kingsbury led the team with 15 points. Aberlardo Lopez Cruz added 10, Ben Pyka, eight; Kevin Ramirez and Nathan Pyka, two.
Independence (field goals/attempts-free throws/attempts-rebounds-points) — Ramirez 1/1-0/0-0-2 Kingsbury 5/15-3/4-8-15 B. Pyka 3/7-2/9-11-8 Lopez Cruz 4/10-2/2-2-10 Santillan 0/0-0/0-2-0 N. Pyka 1/2-0/0-1-2
GIL 57 Independence 54
In what may have been the last game between the two schools, the Panthers were able to hold off the Indees late.
The Indees trailed by five at halftime, but stayed close in the second half. The teams went back and forth, but Gilmanton held the lead and won by three.
No further information or statistics were reported prior to press time.
