The Independence varsity basketball teams traveled to Olympic High School on Tuesday night to face off against the Trojans in non-conference basketball games.
Women’s Game
Independence 50, Olympic 39
Indy’s junior Sharonda Smith had a big night leading the Lady Patriots with 21 points in a non-conference road game. She went 6-of-13 from the floor and was 5-of-9 from the charity stripe. Smith finished the night with 7 rebounds, 2 steals and one assist. Braylyn Milton poured in 16 points and grabbed 7 rebounds. She had 5 steals and 2 assists. Ayanna Anderson added 9 points and 9 rebounds. Brianna McManus had 2 points, 2 rebounds and two steals. Aaliyah Lowery finished with 2 points and one steal.
The Lady Trojans jumped out to an early six point lead and held on to take a 13-7 first quarter lead.
In the second quarter the Lady Patriots cut the score to two points 13-11 after Braylyn Milton made a foul shot, then stole the inbounds pass and passed to Ayanna Anderson who hit a layup with 6:58 left in the first half.
At the 5:35 mark Milton made another steal drove to the basket to tie the score at 13-13. The Lady Patriots took the lead 15-13 on a basket by Aaliyah Lowery. Sharonda Smith put Indy up by five on a three pointer with 4:35 remaining in the half.
Olympic fought back and took a 21-18 lead with1:35 left on the clock. With 32 seconds left in the half, Indy’s Sharonda Smith drove to the basket and got fouled. Smith hit one of her two shots to make the half time score 21-19 in favor of the Lady Trojans.
The Lady Patriots started the second half with Sharonda Smith hitting a 3-pointer putting Indy up by one 22-21. However, the Lady Trojans came fighting back sinking three 3-point shots and taking the lead 27-22 with 6:45 left in the third period. On Indy’s next trip down the floor Smith hit a 3-pointer cutting the lead to 27-25. The Lady Patriots re-took the lead on another 3-point shot by Smith with 4:47 left in the third quarter. Ayanna Anderson put the Lady Patriots up by four on an offensive rebound and a put back.
With one minute to go in the period Olympic cut Indy’s lead to one point. On Indy’s next possession Smith drove to the basket picking up a foul with 47 seconds remaining. Smith went to the line shooting two. She made the first shot to make the score 35-33. Her second shot was off, and Indy’s Ayana Anderson came up with the rebound, and the Lady Patriots called time out. After the time out, the ball went to Braylyn Milton who drained a 3-pointer to end the third quarter with the Lady Patriots in the lead 38-33.
With 5:42 remaining in the game, Sharonda Smith picked up a steal and was fouled. Smith made both of the free throws putting Indy up 40-33. After an Olympic basket, Brianna McManus hit a layup putting the Lady Patriots up eight with 4:13 to go in the game.
Smith hit her fourth 3-point basket increasing the score to 45-34 with 3:35 left in the game. Milton added a point from the charity stripe followed by Anderson’s six foot jumper to put Indy up 48-36 with 1:35 remaining. With one minute left in the game, Anderson hit a basket to make the final score 50-39.
Independence  7 12 19 12 – 50
Olympic         13   8  12  6 – 39
Men’s Game
Independence 64, Olympic 46
Going into Tuesday’s night game the Olympic Trojans was the number nine ranked team in The Observer’s Sweet 16. After the final horn had sounded, the Patriots had handed the number nine Trojans a 64-46 loss.
Independence had three players to score in double figures, and Matthew Smith posted a double double for the Patriots. Smith had 12 points, 10 rebounds, 4 blocked shots, 3 steals and 2 assists. Junior guard Andra’ McKee led the Patriots in scoring with 17 points. He grabbed 4 rebounds, had 4 assists and 2 steals. Indy’s Jamarius Burton scored 11 points, had 3 rebounds and four assists. Jordan Mobley and J. Stewart Twine had 6 points each. Raja Milton and Miles Pauldin had 5 points each. Michael Mason II finished the night with 2 points.
The Patriots jumped out to a 7-2 lead and took an 18-10 first quarter lead behind the shooting of Andra’ McKee and Jordan Mobley each scoring five first quarter points.
In the second quarter the Patriots did not let up pouring in18 more points to take a 36-18 half time lead. J. Stewart Twine led the Patriots in the second period with 6 points.
The third period was a let down for both teams. Indy managed only 7 points but held the Trojans to 6. Indy went up 39-24 after a technical foul was called against the Trojans. After a Trojan miss, Jamarius Burton grabbed the rebound and drove the length of the floor for a layup making the score 41-24 with 3:08 remaining in the third quarter. The period ended with the Patriots leading 43-28.
In the fourth quarter Andra’ McKee stole the ball with 7:18 to go and started toward the basket. An Olympic player grabbed McKee and was called for the intentional foul. He sank one of his two shots putting Indy up 44-28.
Olympic came fighting back and cut the score to ten 47-37 with 4:55 left in the game. The Trojans grabbed a rebound on a missed layup but turned the ball over at mid court, and Indy’s head coach Preston Davis called a time out.
Indy moved out to a 49-37 lead hitting two foul shots. McKee increased the lead 52-39 with a 3-pointer. With three minutes to go the Patriots led 54-40. Matthew Smith drove to the basket for a two handed dunk making the score 56-40. On Olympic’s next possession their missed shot was rebounded by Smith who drove the length of the floor for another two handed dunk making the score 60-41 with 1:20 remaining.
McKee put Indy up 62-41 with 1:10 to go in the game
Coach Davis cleared his bench and Indy took a 64-46 road win over the Olympic Trojans.
Independence 18 18  7 21 – 64
Olympic           10  8  6 22 – 46
