Patriots split at East Lincoln Winter Jam

Nygell Verdier dunks over a Husky defender. (Ron Morris)
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On Saturday night the Independence varsity basketball teams traveled to East Lincoln High School for a second round match up in the East Lincoln Winter Jam.

Men’s Game



Independence 66, Hough 49

The Saturday afternoon game between the Hough Huskies out of the

I-Meck 4A Conference and the Independence Patriots out of the Southwestern 4A Conference are the types of games you see at the end of the season.  Both teams are on top of their conference standings with 3-0 records.  Hough came into the game with a 10-1 overall record, and the Patriots entered the game with a 6-4 overall record.

Indy’s Omarion Bodrick goes in for the dunk in Saturday’s game against Hough. (Ron Morris)

Both teams started the game at a fast pace with Indy’s Anthony Allen hitting a 3-point basket in the first 28 seconds of the game.  However, Hough answered with a 3-pointer of its own to tie the score at 3 with 7:10 showing on the clock.

After Hough tied the score at 3, Anthony Allen hit a jumper at the top of the key to give Indy a 5-3 lead.  On Indy’s next possession Omarion Bodrick grabbed an offensive rebound and scored to make the score 7-3 with 6:38 showing on the clock.

Indy took its biggest first period lead with 6:11 remaining when Anthony Allen drained a 3-pointer to make the score 10-3.

Anthony Allen knocks down a 3-point basket in the first quarter against Hough. (Ron Morris)

Hough answered by scoring four unanswered points to make the score 10-7, and the Huskies pulled within two points on a 3-point basket to make the score 12-10.

With 55 seconds left in the quarter, Nygell Verdier scored on a baseline drive.  Then with 30 seconds left, Omarion Bodrick stole the ball at mid court and passed to Jalen Hinton for the basket to give Indy a 16-10 lead. Just after Indy got the ball across mid court, Nygell Verdier drained a 3-point basket as the buzzer sounded.

The officials counted the basket as Hough’s head coach went ballistic but the goal counted and Indy led 19-12 at the end of one.

Hough started the second quarter with a drive down the middle of the lane for the dunk to make the score 19-14.

Camen Little goes for the layup in Saturday’s win over Hough. (Ron Morris)

With 5:42 left in the half, Indy went on a 5-0 run on a Jalen Hinton 3-pointer and an Omarion Bodrick rebound and basket to make the score 24-14.

After Hough made two foul shots, Omarion Bodrick hit a basket in the lane and then got the ball under the basket for the dunk to make Indy’s lead 28-16.

At the 1:30 mark, Indy’s Nygell Verdier scored on a baseline jumper.  On Hough’s next possession, Landon King grabbed a defensive rebound and drove the length of the floor to give Indy a 32-19 lead.

With 51 seconds left in the half, Hough made two free throws to make the score 32-21.  But with ten seconds left in the period, De’Drick Givens pulled down a defensive rebound and passed to Anthony Allen at the other end of the court for the layup to give Indy a 34-21  halftime lead.

Tachai Miller drives around a Huskies defender. (Ron Morris)

Indy’s Nygell Verdier started the third period with a baseline jumper which was followed by an Anthony Allen 3-pointer to make the score 39-23 with 5:55 left in the period.

After Hough hit two free throws, Indy’s Tachai Miller stole the ball, drove the length of the floor, and was fouled as he went to the basket.  Miller went to the line and knocked down both of his free throws to give Indy a 41-24 lead.

Hough went to the charity stripe and cut the score 42-30, but Anthony Allen drained a baseline 3-pointer and Nygell Verdier got inside for the dunk, and with that Indy’s lead was at 16 with 2:23 left in the period.

With a minute to go in the third, Anthony Allen scored on a jumper and with one second showing on the clock, Allen drained a 3-pointer to give the Patriots a 51-34 lead as the teams headed into the fourth quarter.

The final period started with Anthony Allen getting the dunk 53-34.  Then Jalen Hinton drained a 3-pointer, and Indy was up 56-34 with 6:58 left to play in the game.

At the 4:35 mark, Indy forced a Hough turnover and made the layup to make the score 58-43.  With 4:10 remaining Omarion Bodrick stole the ball and drove to the basket for the dunk to give Indy a 60-43 lead.

With 3:20 left in the game, Omarion Bodrick drove the baseline for another dunk and Indy was up 62-45.

Nygell Verdier added another basket from the baseline and Omarion Bodrick finished Indy’s scoring with a dunk with 15 seconds left in the game to give the Patriots a 66-49 victory over the Hough Huskies.

Anthony Allen led the Patriots with 25 points.  He also had 1 rebound and 1 assist.  Nygell Verdier added 15  points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals and 1 blocked shot.  Omarion Bodrick scored 14 point, and led the team with 8 rebounds.  He also had 2 assists,  5 steals,  and 3 blocked shots. Jalen Hinton added 8 points, had 1 rebound and 2 assists.  Tachai Miller had 2 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists and 2 steals.  Landon King scored 2 points, had 1 rebound  and 1 assist.

Hough               12    9  13  15  –  49

Independence   19  15  17  15  –  66

Women’s Game

Independence 47, Victory Christian 68

In the second game the Lady Patriots faced the Lady Kings from Victory Christian.

Trinity Thompson works around a Victory Christian defender. (Ron Morris)

The Lady Patriots jumped out to a 6-1 lead with 5:31 left in the quarter.  Victory Christian started fighting back and cut the score to 9-8.  That would be the last time the Lady Patriots held the lead.

With 23 seconds left in the first quarter, Victory Christian tied the score at nine and scored again with 6 seconds remaining to take a 11-9 first quarter lead.

In the second period, Victory Christian moved out to a 12-point lead 25-13 with 5:33 left in the half.

Braylyn Milton drives the baseline. (Ron Morris)

Victory Christian kept up its assault and took a 37-23 halftime lead.

At the start of the second half, the Lady Patriots made a run at Victory Christian.

At the 7:45 mark Gracie Breckenridge scored on an offensive rebound. Then Braylyn Milton drained a 3-pointer and hit another 3-point basket to cut Victory Christian’s lead to eight points 39-31.

With 6:09 showing on the clock, Gracie Breckenridge cut the lead to six points 39-33 which caused Victory Christian to call a timeout.

After the timeout, Victory Christian nailed four 3-point baskets and took a 55-41 lead at the end of the third period.

In the final period Victory Christian out scored the Lady Patriots 13-6 to take a 68-47 victory.

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