The Independence women’s basketball team wrapped up its 2018-2019 season with a loss Tuesday night at Myers Park High School in the first round of the Southwestern 4A Conference Tournament.
At the start of the game, both teams looked sluggish. Neither team could score until Indy’s Natalyah Wilson hit a field goal at the 6:45 mark to make the score 2-0. After Myers Park tied the score, Grace Breckenridge went to the charity stripe and put the Lady Patriots up 3-2. With 4:47 showing on the clock, Laura Flynn gave Indy a three point lead 5-2 on an offensive rebound and a stick back.
The Lady Mustangs retook the lead 6-5 with 2:45 left in the quarter. But with two minutes to go, Indy’s Azuria Barrino made an old fashion 3-point play. After scoring in the lane and being fouled on her shot. Barrino made the free throw, and the quarter ended with the Lady Patriots leading 8-6.
In the second period two minutes had elapsed before Myers Park cut the score to one point 8-7 on a free throw with 5:56 left in the half. Grace Breckenridge put the Lady Patriots back up by two, but the Lady Mustangs tied the score 9-9 with 4:56 left in the period.
Myers Park moved out to a four point lead 13-9 before Ayanna Anderson cut the score to two 13-11 on a ten foot jumper with 1:45 left in the half. The Lady Mustangs answered back with a top of the key basket to make the score 15-11.
Indy’s Sharonda Smith and Jazmine Draughn hit a couple of free throws to move Indy back within two. With ten seconds to go Myers Park hit a short jumper to take a 17-13 lead, but, with two seconds left, Myers Park fouled Azuria Barrino. Barrino stepped up to the free throw line and drained both shots as the half ended with Myers Park leading 17-15.
The Lady Mustangs opened the second half with a 10-0 run to push their lead to 27-15. After Indy’s basket, the Lady Mustangs went on an 8-0 run to take a 18 point lead 35-17 with 4:03 remaining in the period. Indy could only score six more third period points as Myers Park took a 40-23 lead moving into the final stanza. At the start of the fourth the Lady Patriots, trying to to make a come back, went on an 8-0 run cutting Myers Park’s lead to eleven. But unfortunately, Myers Park answered with an 8-0 run of its own. The Lady Patriots played hard but were unable to make the come back they needed. Myers Park went on to take the victory and advance to the semi-final round.
The Lady Patriots closed out their season with an 10-15 record and finished 6-8 in the Southwestern 4A Conference. Ayanna Anderson led the Lady Patriots with 8 points, 8 rebounds and 1 steal. Sharonda Smith and Natalyah Wilson had 7 points each. Sharonda grabbed 3 rebounds, had 1 assist and 1 steal. Wilson pulled down 4 rebounds, had 3 assists and 3 steals. Azuria Barrino had 6 points, 4 rebounds and 1 steal. Grace Breckenridge added 5 points and pulled down 10 rebounds. Laura Flynn scored 4 points and 5 rebounds. Jazmine Draughn finished up the scoring with 3 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals.
Independence  8  7   8  17 – 40 Myers Park    6  11  23 13 – 53
