Pirates Put Together Huge Win Against Louisiana Christian Prep
November 8, 2018
INDEPENDENCE, Kan. - Emotions were high Thursday night as the Independence Pirates hosted the Louisiana Christian Prep (LCP) Disciples. The game was close for much of the evening, but the Pirates put together a huge effort and walked off with a 92-72 win for their first victory of the year.
The Pirates were led by Tonje Durham who had 16 points and Sean Pollack who posted a double-double with 10 points and 16 rebounds.
"It felt good to finally get a win tonight," coach Tony Turner said. "We just have to figure out how to close teams out, keep grinding and play hard as a team in order to continue to get wins throughout the season."
In the first half, the Disciples drew first blood with a three-pointer from AJ Bean, but the Pirates answered with a long jumper from Jibril Harris to tie the game at 3-2. Back to back three pointers from Trenton Payne made it 9-2, but Tonje Durham cut the score to 9-4.
Another three-pointer from LCP made it 12-4 just before a layup from Sean Pollack cut the lead down to six and back to back Kofi Maze and Durham made the score 12-10. Durham escaped to score to tie the game at 12-12 and a foul would later put him at the line where he would make one to give Independence a 13-12 lead at the 13:20 mark.
"The win felt good tonight, but in the first half we came out a little slow," Durham said. "We were able to pick things up in the second half and come out on top. We just need to continue to work on our execution and prepare one game at a time."
A steal by Anquaevious Pollard delivered for a layup to Maze for a 15-12 lead, where he was fouled missing, but a rebound by Kevin Charles set up a three-pointer for Pollard for a 17-12 Pirate lead. The Disciples got a quick layup but quick delivery by Darrell Purdie and Charles made the score 21-14 at the 10:30 mark.
Independence added to its lead with a three-pointer from Derrick Redmon and again with a put back from Mark Crawford making the score 26-14. A foul on the other end forced Devin Wade-Henderson to shoot and make two free throws but Da'Juan Edwards delivered a long shot making it 29-16 for the Pirates before a quick layup cut the lead to eleven.
LCP made a three-pointer as Wade-Henderson sunk the ball deep and was fouled making a free throw, but Da'Juan Edwards again shot a long-range jumper making the score 32-22 at the 6:45 mark. A free throw from Harris was followed up with a steal by Edwards was dumped off to Alex Torres, but the Disciples answered on the other end with a three from Kendrick Hayes for a 36-24 Independence lead and with 4:35 remaining in the first half, Pollack laid the ball in pushing the lead to fourteen.
Free throws from LCP followed by a three-pointer from Payne made the score 38-29 and as fouls continued to cause free throws the lead was cut to seven before a huge rebound by Harris pushed the score to 40-31.
Harris attacked again with an easy layup and Durham followed with a three-pointer for a 45-31 lead at the 2:00 mark just before a jumper cut the lead down to twelve points and a long-range shot made it 45-36. The Disciples outscored the Pirates 6-4 in the remainder of the half cutting the lead to 49-42.
In the second half, Ricky Edwards increased the Independence lead to ten sinking a three-pointer with 19:00 remaining, but LCP would cut the lead to 52-46 quickly after a quick layup and a pair of free throws.
Back and forth went the teams went exchanging possessions before Durham pushed the lead to eight, but a long range shot from Wade-Henderson had the score at 54-49 with 16:35 left to play just before a quick jumper from Ricky Edwards followed by one free throw from Mamady Djikine pushed the score out to 57-49.
A quick three from the Disciples was answered by Maze who drained one of his own to make the score 60-52 and with 14:10 Djikine made a jumper pushing the lead out to ten, but the inability to rebound and fouls on the other end had the Pirates lead down to seven.
Redmon hit a three in the corner to make the score 65-55, but LCP was battling on a 4-0 run just before an inside jumper from Pollack pushed the lead back to eight. Back to back three-pointers brought the Disciples within two and a score off a steal tied the game at 67-67.
Purdie found the paint for a layup and the lead and again with a jumper with 9:00 left pushing the Pirates ahead 71-67. Independence added to its lead with a three-pointer from Redmon and LCP made two free throws, but Da'Juan Edwards torched the net from downtown pushing the score to 77-69.
The Pirates went on a 4-2 scoring run with the lead at 81-71, but the Disciples continued to play hard just before Torres found Djikine for an alley layup with 2:55 left to play making the score 83-71 in favor of Independence.
Two free throws and a jumper from Durham and a quick layup from Djikine made the score 89-71 and a steal and layup by Torres pushed the Pirates out to a 20-point advantage with 56 seconds remaining. Each team made a free throw as the game concluded and the Pirates walked of victorious.
Independence (1-3) returns to ICC Field House again tomorrow night for a 7 pm tipoff against the Oklahoma Wesleyan Eagles.