Miscommunications, Hot Shooting By Mavericks Snap Pirates' Win Streak
By JAY HENRY
November 20, 2018
INDEPENDENCE, Kan. - Riding a five-game win streak, the Independence Pirates returned home to ICC Fieldhouse looking to continue their winning ways against the Tonkawa Mavericks. The game was very competitive, but the Mavericks broke away for a 77-55 win after poor execution and lack of communication by the Pirates snapping Independence's win streak.
"We just didn't have any effort and couldn't respond after they hit us in the mouth early," coach Tony Turner said. We quit running our stuff and took some unnecessary shots, but we just have to go back to the drawing board and get tougher."
"Our next game is at home against Dodge City and they're going be really good as all teams in the KJCCC are, but hopefully this was a good loss for us and will make us play harder."
In the first half, the Mavericks drew first blood with a three-pointer by Khobe Austin-Johnson, but the Pirates answered on the inside with a bucket by Jibril Harris making the score 3-2. A free throw was matched with one by Tyreece Berry cutting the score to 3-2, but Austin Johnson pushed the lead to three with a quick layup.
Berry ended a 4-0 Tonkawa run with a quick layup making the score 8-5 and Tonje Durham found the inside corner to cut the lead down to one at the 14:35 mark. Durham answered a three from Trevion Lamar making the score 12-9 and a three-pointer by Kofi Maze gave the Pirates the lead at 12-11 at the 12:00 mark.
Tonkawa regained the lead with a three-pointer by Lamar, but Anquaevious Pollard answered down low to tie it at 14-14 and then again for the lead. Lamar torched the net again making it 17-16 for the Mavericks and then the lead was five after a 4-0 run.
Tonkawa found Deon Berrien on a breakaway for a quick bucket and then turnovers became a huge factor as the Tonkawa lead was pushed to ten. Pollard made a bucket and one after a foul, but Perry made a quick floater to push the lead back to nine points at 29-18 at the 6:20 mark.
Free throws were answered with a bucket by Mamady Djikine, but another long shot from Perry scored three before Pollard found a tip in on the other side for a basket. A tip in by Berien made it 35-23 and a shot from Perry pushed the lead to 14points, but a quick basket followed by a free throw by Maze had the lead down to 11 points. A quick shot from Sayvon Taylor pushed the lead to thirteen and two free throws from Berry made the score 39-28 going into the locker room.
In the second half, Austin-Johnson pushed the lead to fourteen with a three, but a bucket by Alex Torres and Harris brought the score to 44-32. Harris put tone back to make t a 10-point game, but Austin-Johnson extended the lead with a long shot from downtown with 15:00 remaining.
Sean Pollack made a quick shot narrowing the lead to 11 points, but a three by Lamar pushed the lead out even further followed by Austin-Johnson with a finger roll making the score 52-36 with 12:45 left to play.
Pollard found the bucket again to cut into the lead and a long shot from Kori Guest had the score now at 52-41. Djikine cut the lead to nine with a quick bucket, but Austin-Johnson put it back to twelve with a bucket and free throw.
The score was back to ten at 58-48 before Da'Juan Edwards cut it to eight with a floater, but free throws on two separate occasions pushed the lead back to twelve before Lamar found an inside bucket. A three by Guest cut the lead down to 11 points but Perry again was on from downtown on back to back possessions.
A three-pointer by Lamar Boone got the lead up to 20 points with 2:52 remaining and a bucket by Kevin Charles made it 73-55, but a run of for Tonkawa made the lead too much to overcome and the Pirates dropped the game by 22 points.
Independence (5-4) returns to ICC Field House Wednesday November 28 hosting the Dodge City Conquistadors in the conference opener with tipoff at 8 pm.