Indee boys improve, but lose three more
While the Independence boys basketball team didn’t manage a win last week, they did show improvement.
The Indees began the week with a 74-17 loss to Necedah before falling to Alma/Pepin, 67-28. On Friday, however, the Indees finally got going offensively, scoring 52 points in what was a 10-point loss to Gilmanton.
The Indees sit at 0-4 on the season and 0-3 in Dairyland Conference play. They aren’t scheduled to play again until Jan. 3 when they head to Cashton.
Necedah 74 IHS 17
The Indees shot 22 percent from the field and committed 36 turnovers as Necedah ran away with the game.
Independence managed just six points in the first half — all by Ben Pyka — while Necedah put up 45. The second half was better for the Indees, but the outcome was never in question.
Tyler Kingsbury scored eight points in the second half to lead the Indees. Pyka finished with six and Kevin Ramirez scored two.
Independence (field goals/attempts-free throws-attempts-rebounds-points) — Ramirez 1/5/0/0-2-2 Kingsbury 3/7-1/2-1-8 B. Pyka 2/7-2/2-6-6 Sylla 0/2-0/1-5-0 Mendoza Reyes 0/1-0/0-0-0 Santillan 0/4-0/0-1-0 N. Pyka 0/1-1/2-2-1 Pfaff 0/0-0/0-1-0
A/P 67 Independence 28
The Indees had a tough time slowing the Eagles down in the first half then couldn’t catch up in the second.
The Eagles came out strong as the Indees struggled to slow their offense down. Independence scored a then season-high 19 points in the first half, but still trailed by 19 at halftime.
Independence’s defense slowed A/P down in the second half, but their offense fell flat. The Indees managed just nine points in the second frame as the Eagles pulled away.
Kingsbury led the Indees with 17 points while Ben Pyka scored five, Kevin Ramirez, Abelardo Lopez Cruz and Nathan Pyka all scored two.
Independence (field goals/attempts-free throws/attempts-rebounds-points) — Ramirez 1/5-0/1-4-2 Kingsbury 5/21-3/6-5-17 B. Pyka 2/5-1/2-8-5 Sylla 0/1-0/0-0-0 Lopez Cruz 1/1-0/0-1-2 Santillan 0/4-0/0-3-0 Halverson 0/0-0/0-1-0 N. Pyka 1/2-0/2-3-2 Montalvo 0/0-0/2-2-2 Pfaff 0/1-0/0-0-0
GHS 62 Independence 52
The Indees got their offense going behind a strong showing from Kingsbury, but they still fell short.
Independence had a one-point lead at halftime, but they couldn’t keep the Panthers in check on the second half as Gilmanton scored 38 points and went on to win by 10.
Kingsbury put up a career-high 27 points to lead the Indees before he fouled out. He also had 10 rebounds and five steals. Ben Pyka added 14 for the Indees. Hunter Guenther — who plays for the Independence/Gilmanton football and baseball teams — scored 23 points to lead the Panthers while Carson Rieck added 16 with 14 rebounds.
Independence (field goal-free throws-rebounds-fouls-points) — Kingsbury 11-1-10-5-27 B. Pyka 5-4-7-5-14 N. Pyka 2-0-4-0-4 Santillan 1-0-5-4-2 Sylla 1-0-4-5-2
