Indees split against top DC Small contenders

After losing to a team that is perhaps the favorite to win the Dairyland Conference Small Division, the Independence girls basketball team picked up a win against another team that is typically a contender for the title.

The Indees struggled shooting in both games, but a slight improvement combined with lockdown defense gave them a win on Friday. Independence managed just 26 points in their 48-26 loss to Alma Center Lincoln last week Tuesday, but rebounded with a 44-40 win over Eau Claire Immanuel Lutheran on Friday. 

Independence was 2-3 on the season before they hosted Cashton on Tuesday. On Friday they’ll head to Alma/Pepin before playing home games against Greenwood and Arcadia this coming Monday and Tuesday. 

ACL 48 Independence 26

The Indees struggled from the field and with turnovers as they fell behind the Hornets early.

Independence managed just 12 points in the first half as AC Lincoln doubled that to take a 12-point lead into halftime. It was more of the same in the second half with the Indees managing just 14 points.

The Indees shot 28.2 percent from the field, making just one of 15 three-point attempts. They also missed two-thirds of their free-throw attempts. Independence had a difficult time protecting the ball as they committed 29 turnovers, which directly led to 24 AC Lincoln points. While the Hornets had 22 turnovers, the Indees only managed to turn them into 10 points. The Hornets shot 41.5 percent from the field. 

Senior Rhianna Theisen scored 11 of Independence’s points. 

Independence (field goals/attempts-free throws/attempts-rebounds-fouls-points) — Kniseley 4/4-0/0-2-3-8 Pronschinske 0/7-0/3-2-1-0 Ives 1/4-2/4-4-2-4 Bautch 0/1-1/2-3-3-1 Zastrow 0/2-0/0-5-1-0 Theisen 5/17-0/0-4-2-11 Dejno 0/1-0/0-0-1-0 Scow 1/3-0/0-2-2-2 

Independence 44 ECI 40

The Indees scored enough down the stretch to top a team that is regularly among the top in the DC Small Division.

The teams came out of halftime tied at 18 and the game remained close, but the Indees were able to come through in the clutch for the win.

Independence’s defense came up big, holding ECI to 28.3 percent shooting while forcing 25 turnovers. The Indees, meanwhile, shot 31.9 percent from the field and had 23 turnovers. The Indees won despite struggling from the free-throw line, where they shot 11-for-24. The Lancers helped by missing eight free throws of their own. 

Ahnna Bautch led the Indees with 13 points and nine rebounds, while Amiah Ives and Callie Zastrow both scored nine points. 

Independence (field goals/attempts-free throws/attempts-rebounds-fouls-points) — Kniseley 0/4—0/0-5-3-0 Pronschinske 1/4-1/3-4-2-3 Ives 1/3-7/10-5-2-9 Bautch 6/13-0/3-9-3-13 Zastrow 4/5-0/3-6-2-9 Theisen 1/12-2/2-3-4-4 Dejno 0/0-0/0-1-0-0 Scow 2/6-1/3-2-2-6