Indees struggle offensively in three Dairyland losses
Independence’s Kevin Ramirez drove to the basket during their game against Eleva-Strum last Tuesday. (Times photograph by Andrew Dannehy)
The Independence boys basketball team just couldn’t put the ball in the basket in three losses last week.
The Indees scored fewer than 30 points in all three games and all three were losses by 29 points or more. The week started with a 67-25 loss to Cochrane-Fountain City, then the Indees fell to Eleva-Strum, 51-21 and finished on Friday with a 56-27 loss to Eau Claire Immanuel Lutheran.
The losses put the Indees at 1-14 overall and 0-11 in Dairyland Conference play. Their next three games are on the road as they went to Plum City/Elmwood on Monday, Boyceville on Tuesday and will go to Alma/Pepin this coming Tuesday. Next Friday, they host Gilmanton.
C-FC 67 Independence 25
The Indees got off to a slow start offensively and it only got worse from there.
Independence managed just 15 points in the first half as the team trailed by 13 at halftime. The Indees couldn’t get back in the game in the second half, however, as their offense struggled even more with 10 points.
The Indees shot 24 percent from the field as Aberlardo Lopez Cruz led the team with 12 points.
Independence (field goals/attempts-free throws/attempts-rebounds-points) — Ramirez 1/2-0/0-7-2 B. Pyka 3/13-0/0-6-6 Sylla 2/4-1/4-2-5 Rajkowski 0/1-0/0-0-0 Mendoza Reyes 0/3-0/0-2-0 Lopez Cruz 4/16-3/5-0-12 Santillan 0/1-0/0-0-0 N. Pyka 0/1-0/2-0-0
E-S 51 Independence 21
Eleva-Strum’s Brady Monson scored 20 points as the Cardinals took a big lead early and cruised from there.
Independence’s offensive struggles continued as they managed seven points in the first half. They doubled that in the second half, but still finished 30 points behind E-S.
The Indees shot 16 percent from the field as Ben Pyka led the team with nine points and 11 rebounds.
Independence (field goals/attempts-free throws/attempts-rebounds-points) — Ramirez 1/5-0/0-3-3 B. Pyka 4/16-1/4-11-9 Sylla 3/4-0/0-3-7 Rajkowski 0/0-0/0-1-0 Mendoza Reyes 0/8-2/4-1-2 Lopez Cruz 0/10-0/0-5-0 Santillan 0/1-0/0-1-0 Halverson 0/1-0/0-0-0 N. Pyka 0/1-0/0-1-0 Pfaff 0/3-0/0-1-0
ECI 56 Independence 27
It was another tough first half for the Indees as they managed just nine points and trailed by 19 at halftime.
Their offense improved in the second half, but it wasn’t nearly enough as the Lancers cruised for the win.
No statistics for Independence were reported before press time.
