MINT HILL, NC – The Lady Patriots started the game with Indy’s Jessica Timmons hitting a quick layup to take a 2-0 lead.  After the Lady Bulls tied the score, Braylyn Milton hit a baseline jumper to give Indy a 4-2 lead.  The Bulls pulled within one at 5-4. Then Braylyn Milton drove down the lane to give Indy a three-point lead at 7-4. With 3:45 left in the opening quarter, the Bulls drained a 3-pointer to tie the score at 7-7.  At the 3:19 mark, the Bulls took the lead 9-7 on a short jumper in the lane.  After Braylyn Milton tied the score at 9-9, the Bulls went on a 6-to-0 run to take a 15-9 lead.  As the horn sounded to end the first period, Braylyn Milton was fouled and made a free throw with no time on the clock to make to first-quarter tally 15-10 in favor of the Bulls. The Lady Patriots opened the second quarter with an 8-0 run with Kaylee Carson scoring on a quick layup followed by an Averie DiBenedetto top of the key jumper.  At the 6:43 mark Indy retook the lead 16-15 on another Kaylee Carson layup.  With 6:30 showing on the clock, Braylyn Milton grabbed a defensive rebound and went coast to coast for the basket putting the Lady Patriots up 18-15. However, the Bulls tied the score 18-18 on a 3-point basket with 5:48 remaining in the first half.  After tying the score, the Bulls scored in the lane and drew a foul, made the shot and retook the lead 21-18, and never trailed again.

After the Bulls moved out to a 27-20 lead, Kaylee Carson and Braylyn Milton scored late quarter baskets to make the half time score 31-26 with the Bulls on top. The Bulls opened the third quarter with a layup off of an Indy turnover.    However, Gracie Breckenridge answered with a baseline jumper to make the score 33-28 with the Bulls still in the lead.  By the 2:28 mark, the Bills had opened a 42-30 lead and finished the quarter leading 44-34.

In the final stanza, the Lady Patriots made a run at the Bulls.  Jessica Timmons got things going for the Lady Patriots by hitting two free throws to make the score 44-36.  After a Bulls basket, Timmons nailed two free throws to keep Indy within eight points 46-38. With 5:57 remaining Jessica Timmons went back to the line and cut the lead to seven 47-40.

With 4:48 left in the game, Braylyn Milton hit two free throws cutting the score to five 47-42.  But the Bulls answered, and Jessica Timmons cut the score back to five 49-44 on a baseline jumper.  Kaylee Carson cut the lead to three 49-46 with three minutes left in the game. With 2:15 showing on the clock Indy’s Gracie Breckenridge grabbed an offensive rebound and got the stick back cutting the score to one 49-48. At the 1:53 mark, the Bulls hit their biggest basket of the night.  The Bulls nailed a 3-pointer to take a four-point lead 52-48. With 1:13 left in the game, the Bulls started playing keep away forcing Indy to foul.  With Indy having to foul, the Bulls moved back to a six-point lead with 47.9 seconds left in the game.  However, the Lady Patriots were not ready to give up.  Indy’s Kaylee Carson nailed a 3-pointer with 34.4 seconds showing on the clock to make the score 56-53. After the Bulls went back to the line and made one of their shots, Braylyn Milton drove the lane to make the score 57-55 with 25.1 seconds left in the game. The Bulls, back at the line, made one of their two shots 58-55.  The Bulls scored one more free throw to take a 59-55 victory over the Lady Patriots.  Braylyn Milton led the Lady Patriots with 17points, 8 rebounds, and 3 assists. Jessica Timmons added 14 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 steal.  Kaylee Carson scored 13 points, had 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 steal.  Gracie Breckenridge added 9 points,  grabbed 6 rebounds, had 2 steals and 1 blocked shot.

Independence  10  16   8   21 –  55

Hickory Ridge  15   16 13  15 –  59

On Wednesday night the Independence High School men’s basketball team opened the season with a 78-33 blowout victory over the Hickory Ridge Ragin’ Bulls.  The Patriots jumped out to a 3-0 lead and never looked backed.

The Patriots placed four players in double figures.  Divine Allah led the team with 15 points, 2 rebounds, and 2 assists.  Landon King had 11 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals.  Amir Davenport also scored 11 points.  He had 1 rebound, 3 assists, and 3 steals.   Camren Little added 10 points, pulled down 4 rebounds, and handed out 2 assists.  Tachai Miller scored 8 points,  had 2 rebounds, 5 assists, and 1 assist.  Ralph Johnson had 6 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 steals.  Jalen Hinton scored 5 points, 1 assist, and 2 steals.  Isaiah Thomas also had 5 points and pulled down 4 rebounds.  Reginald Smith had 4 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 steal.  Zaire May finished the night with 3 points, 1 rebound, and 1 assist.

The Patriot defense held the Bulls to 9 points in each of the first 3 quarters and gave up only 6 points in the final stanza.

Independence  14  18  28  18  –  78

Hickory Ridge    9    9    9    6  –  33