Indees win two, fall to DC’s top team

The Independence/Gilmanton girls basketball team had two lopsided wins and a close loss to one of the top Division Five teams in the state last week.

The Indees went on early runs in both of its wins last week, beating Alma/Pepin, 55-43, on Tuesday and Plum City/Elmwood, 67-22, on Friday. The team gave Cochrane-Fountain City – ranked sixth in Division Five – a good test, but the Pirates (19-1 on the season) went on a run late in the first half and held on for a 47-42 win on Thursday. The Indees are the only DC team to finish within 10 points of C-FC this season. 

I/G began this week with a 13-7 record and 8-2 mark in DC play – with both losses coming to C-FC. They played at Eau Claire Immanuel Lutheran on Tuesday and will head to Black River Falls on Thursday before hosting Alma Center Lincoln in Gilmanton on Friday. I/G will close its regular season with a home game against Augusta this coming Tuesday. 

I/G 55 A/P 43

The Indees went ahead with a 14-0 run early then put the game away with another run late.

I/G trailed 6-3 before scoring 14 straight points to go ahead by double digits. Makiyah Scow started the run with a jumper before Nora Schank put the team ahead with a hoop and free throw. After an Adison Pronschinske free throw, Scow connected on a three pointer to make the score 12-6 with 10:40 remaining. Pronschinske then hit a three before Scow scored on a drive to the basket to put the Indees ahead 17-6 with seven minutes left in the first half.

The Eagles scored to end the run, but the Indees responded with a layup by Scow. Schank then split a pair of free throws before Arabelle Kniseley knocked down a jumper to make the score 22-9. Kniseley scored again to put I/G ahead 24-11 with 20 seconds remaining in the half.

Kniseley connected on a three to begin the second half, but the Eagles didn’t go away. A/P pulled within five at 39-34 with seven minutes left in the game, but I/G responded with an 8-0 run, six by Scow.

Scow finished with a game-high 16 points while both Kniseley and Schank scored 12, Pronschinske, nine; Taylor Sylla, four and Shauna Dejno, two.

I/G (field goals/attempts-free throws/attempts-rebounds-fouls-points) — Kniseley 5/13-1/2-9-2-12 Pronschinske 2/8-3/5-6-0-9 Schank 3/8-6/13-5-3-12 Dejno 1/5-0/0-6-1-2 C. Kampa 0/2-0/0-0-0-0 K. Dejno 0/1-0/1-1-1-0 Scow 6/14-2/5-6-4-16 Sylla 2/2-0/0-1-1-4

C-FC 47 I/G 42

An 11-2 run late in the first half was the difference in the game.

The teams had been close in the first half as C-FC went ahead 19-17 on a free throw. The Indees began to struggle on the offensive end. Mackenzie Wagner took a steal for a layup to increase C-FC’s lead. After two missed shots, C-FC made two free throws to go ahead 23-17. Scow responded with a drive and layup, but C-FC scored the next six points to take a 29-19 lead. Shauna Dejno scored right before the halftime buzzer to make it 29-21 at the intermission.

The Pirates went ahead by 10 again at 36-26 midway through the second half. They were ahead by 14 with six minutes left. The Indees made a run as two free throws by Kassidi Dejno made it a five-point game at 45-50 with 1:14 left, but that’s as close as I/G would get. 

The Indees had a chance to cut into the lead, but a missed shot was rebounded by C-FC. The Pirates scored to go ahead 47-40 with about 40 seconds left in the game. 

I/G scored with about 30 seconds left and got the ball back with 20 seconds remaining, but couldn’t score again. 

The Indees shot about 24 percent from the field, compared to 36 percent for C-FC. I/G had extra chances because of its ability to control the glass, out-rebounding C-FC, 55-36. Both teams struggled at the free-throw line as I/G was eight-for-21 and C-FC was eight-for-19. 

Kniseley had a game-high 19 points and 13 rebounds for I/G

I/G (field goals/attempts-free throws/attempts-rebounds-fouls-points) — Halama 0/0-0/0-1-1-0 Kniseley 7/22-1/2-13-4-19 Pronschinske 0/10-0/0-3-3-0 Schank 2/10-1/6-7-4-5 S. Dejno 3/8-4/6-8-3-10 K. Dejno 1/2-2/4-5-2-4 Scow 2/8-0/3-8-4-4 Sylla 0/2-0/0-2-0-0 

I/G 67 PC/E 22

The Indees held PC/E to just five points in the first half to take a 44-point advantage into the intermission.

The game was tied 2-2 before the Indees rattled off a 40-0 run before PC/E scored again with about three minutes left in the half. I/G took a 49-5 lead into halftime.

The Indees shot 33.7 percent from the field, but had 86 field goal attempts thanks to 28 steals and 26 offensive rebounds. The scoring was balanced as Kniseley, Schank and Scow all had 10 points. 

I/G (field goals/attempts-free throws/attempts-rebounds-fouls-points) — Halama 2/10-0/0-2-2-6 Kniseley 5/20-0/0-4-2-10 Turner 0/2-0/0-0-0-0 Pronschinske 3/11-1/2-6-2-7 Schank 4/7-1/2-2-1-10 S. Kampa 0/2-0/0-0-0-0 S. Dejno 3/9-3/6-6-2-9 C. Kampa 2/3-0/0-2-1-4 K. Dejno 4/8-1/1-9-0-9 Scow 5/10-0/0-8-1-10 Sylla 1/4-0/1-8-1-2