Indees top Cardinals to pull ahead in DC title race

A victory over the conference’s top contender put the Independence/Gilmanton girls basketball team in sole possession of first place with just a handful of games to go.

I/G began the week tied for first place with Eleva-Strum, but the Indees locked the Cardinals down in the second half for a 42-30 win on Tuesday. I/G remained in first with a 51-37 victory over Alma/Pepin in Gilmanton on Friday. 

I/G began the week with a 17-3 overall record, including a 13-3 mark in Dairyland Conference play — one game better than E-S in the Large Division. Only four games remain, but all four I/G opponents have winning records.

The final stretch began on Tuesday of this week when the Indees hosted Eau Claire Immanuel Lutheran before the team went to Cochrane-Fountain City on Thursday. This coming Tuesday, I/G hosts Blair-Taylor before it welcomes Whitehall on Friday — both of those games will be played in Independence. 

I/G 42 Eleva-Strum 30

The Indees held the Cardinals to just 10 points in the final 17 minutes.

Avery Glenz made a three pointer on Eleva-Strum’s first possession of the second half, putting the team ahead 20-15, but the Cardinals would go seven minutes without scoring.

I/G scored 12 straight as Makiyah Scow made consecutive layups and Shauna Dejno gave the Indees a 21-20 lead with a basket inside. Arabelle Kniseley connected on a jumper before four straight points by Nora Schank and a basket by Catherine Kampa put I/G ahead 29-20.

The Cardinals kept the game close in the next few minutes. Glenz made another three-pointer and E-S later scored four straight to pull within 31-27. A three pointer by Neeley Lasher — her only basket on 12 field goal attempts in the game — made the score 35-30 with 5:45 left in the game, but the Cardinals didn’t score again.

I/G responded with baskets by Dejno and Schank before Rielynn Sheahan drilled a three pointer to put the team ahead by 12 with 2:11 remaining.

Neither team would score again as the Indees ran time off the clock and held on for the 12-point win.

I/G’s defense held E-S to just 19.6 percent shooting from the field. The Cardinals shot seven-of-33 on three-point attempts and the Indees controlled the paint with a 26-6 scoring advantage inside. 

Glenz had a game-high 13 points, but no other E-S player had more than four.

The Indees were balanced offensively. Scow led the way with 10 points, Sheahan finished with eight and Kniseley, Schank, Dejno and Kampa all had six. 

I/G (field goals/attempts-free throws/attempts-rebounds-fouls-points) — Kniseley 2/8-2/3-8-1-6 Sheahan 3/10-0/0-6-0-8 Schank 2/7-2/3-5-2-6 Dejno 3/9-0/0-4-4-6 Kampa 3/3-0/0-0-0-6 H. Sylla 0/0-0/0-8-1-0 Scow 4/13-2/5-12-2-10

I/G 51 A/P 37

After a three-pointer to end the first half, the Indees took control early in the second.

I/G had a five-point lead in the closing seconds of the first half before Sheahan connected on a three pointer with fewer than five seconds remaining to put the team ahead 30-22 at halftime.

The Eagles scored first in the second half, but the Indees answered with a 12-2 run. The team got baskets from Dejno and Schank before Sheahan connected on another three. After an A/P basket, Hadley Sylla scored inside then Anna Kent connected on a three that put I/G ahead 42-26.

A/P pulled within nine with about four minutes to play, but the team didn’t score another point.

I/G was balanced again as Sheahan led the team with 13 points and both Kent and Dejno finished with 10. 

I/G (field goals/attempts-free throws/attempts-rebounds-fouls-points) — Kent 4/5-0/0-0-0-10 Kniseley 2/7-0/0-10-2-5 Sheahan 4/12-2/2-4-1-12 Schank 4/8-1/1-8-3-9 Ekern 0/1-0/0-0-1-0 Dejno 4/6-2/3-3-2-10 Kampa 0/2-1/2-0-2-1 H. Sylla 1/2-1/2-3-0-3 Scow 0/5-0/0-5-4-0