INDEPENDENCE, Kan. - The Independence Women’s basketball team extended their season tonight as they knocked off Fort Hays Tech to clinch the final spot in the KJCCC tournament, 60-54 on Sophomore Night. 

In the final game of the regular season, Indy found themselves in a true win and in scenario as they squared off with the visiting Tigers. The winner would advance to the KJCCC tournament while the loser's season was over. The game got off to a fast start as the Tigers immediately jumped out to a 5-0 lead, and would hold that lead until Indy tied it up at 11 apiece with four minutes to go in the first quarter. Back to back three pointers would push the Tiger lead to six, and they would hold that lead for the rest of the quarter, finishing with a 20-14 advantage. 

The Pirates would ratchet up the defense in the second quarter as they held the Tigers scoreless for the first three minutes of the quarter. Indy cut the deficit down to one before surrendering five straight points to give the Tigers a six point advantage once again. Indy would finish the quarter on a 10-4 run, and would take the lead with under a minute left before the Tigers scored one final bucket 30 seconds before the halftime buzzer as the two teams went to the locker room deadlocked at 29. 

In the third quarter the Pirates were able to take an early lead 34-31 in the first four minutes, but offensive struggles led to a 13-2 Tigers run to finish the quarter and send the Pirates to fourth quarter trailing by a game high eight points.

Indy, with their backs against the wall, ripped off the first five points of the fourth quarter highlighted by a Mikka Chambers three pointer to cut the lead to three. The Tigers would answer with a three of their own to push the lead back to six. Still trailing by six with just under four minutes to go, Indy got another three pointer from Chambers, immediately followed by a steal that Allison Reese took the length of the court and finished for the and one. She would make the free throw and tie the game up at 51 with two and a half minutes to go. After forcing another Tiger turnover, Tionne Johnson was able to complete an and one of her own to give the Pirates a three point lead. In back to back possessions Reese was able to get to the line and convert three of four free throws, before Fort Hays finally ended the Pirates 12-0 run with a bucket to cut the lead to four with 30 seconds left. Reese would ice the game with three more free throws down the stretch as the Pirates completed the comeback and extended their season winning 60-54.

Both teams were very evenly matched on the stat sheet as both teams shot just over 30% from the field and just under 30% from three. The Pirates were able to force 24 turnovers that led to 24 points and had a slight advantage in points in the paint at 26-20.

Allison Reese led the way with team highs in points, with 25, and assists, with three. She also had four steals defensively. Mikka Chambers was the only other Pirate to finish in double figures with 13. Asmin Tanhan and Lauryn Gentle both had double digit boards with 12 and 11 respectively. 

The win clinches the 12th seed in the KJCCC tournament for the Pirates and they will travel to take on fifth-seeded Cowley on Saturday.