Indians Advance in NWKL Tourney
The Indians advanced to the championship semi-final game of the Northwest Kansas League Tournament with a 74-29 blow-out win over the Greeley County Jackrabbits on Tuesday, January 17, in Oberlin. The Indians got off to a bit of a slow start, but increased their lead throughout the contest. The win advanced the Indians into the semi-final game with a match-up against Quinter. Quinter won a two-point buzzer-beater contest over Dighton on Tuesday.
Greeley County's Jose Chavez (5' 7" sophomore) scored the first basket of the game draining a left-corner trey, An assist by Taylor Rogers on a Tate Busse cut through the lane placed the Indians on the scoreboard on the following possession. Quinton Cravens' offensive rebound basket put the Indians in front for good. The Indian run contained two more baskets: a fast-break score by Rogers (assist Busse) and a post basket by Jeremiah Neitzel (assist Cravens). The Indians led 8-3. Thatcher Lackey (6' 0" sophomore) halted the Indian run with a score from the right-wing. After Neitzel made 1 of 2 from the stripe, Busse added a steal-two, two-handed dunk. A Busse-to-Cravens pass resulted in a post score giving the Indians a 13-7 lead. The slow, deliberate offensive pace of the Jackrabbits and the zone played by the Indians made it difficult for the St. Francis to increase the pace of the game. After another post basket by Lackey, the Indians added a driving score by Cravens and a Busse lay-up (after a steal and assist by Waters). Greeley County (GC) called time-out at 1:37 trailing by ten (17-7). The Indians added three more scores in the final minute-and-a-half; a right-wing shot by Busse (assist Brady Dinkel), a right wing jumper by Dalton Straub (assist Rogers), and a top-of-the-key buzzer-beater trey by Busse. GC's Lackey contributed a stick-back basket and Jaly Yanez (5' 10" sophomore) a deep three. St. Francis led by double digits (24-12) at the first quarter break.
The Indians would continue to stretch their advantage throughout the game. St. Francis opened the second period with two Waters free-throws and a basket by Neitzel after a steal and assist by Brady Dinkel. After a Chavez hoop, Waters' assist set up a score by Dylan Straub (30-14). Lackey followed with a three-ball, but Neitzel scored after a Busse assist on the next possession. GC responded with back-to-back treys; one each by Lackey and Evan Crotinger (5' 9" junior) trimming the deficit to 32-23 with 3:10 left in the half. The Jackrabbits would not score again in the half while the Indians would add points on five possessions. The Indians received a reverse lay-up by Busse, a basket by Waters (assist Straub), two free-throws by Waters (after a steal), a Busse three-ball on a break (assist Waters), and a Waters drive. St. Francis led 43-23 at the break.
The Indian run extended into the third period when a Taylor Rogers assist led to another trey by Tate Busse and Quinton Cravens scored on an offensive rebound. The 14-point run placed St. Francis at a 25-point advantage (48-23). The only Greeley County score of the period came about mid-way through the quarter when Lackey scored on an offensive rebound. Several Indians contributed to the third quarter scoring as the Indians advanced their side of the scoreboard to a 62-25 margin after three periods.
With mostly substitute players playing in the final period, and the game using a running clock, the Indians continued to build their lead. St. Francis opened the period with a Straub-to-Waters break and a Rogers-to-Busse trey. At 6:34, the St. Francis substitute players all entered the game. Using deliberate offensive execution, the Indians soon found ways to added to the lead. An assist by Conner Keller led to a left corner trey by Tayton Weeter. After a post score by GC, Jordan Raby nailed a shot from the right baseline. The final basket of the contest came after K.C. Krien grabbed an offensive rebound and set up a score by Raby with an assist. St. Francis defeated Greeley County 74-29.
Greeley County was led in scoring by Trevor Torres (6' 0" sophomore) with 11 points. St. Francis recieved 24 from Tate Busse and 17 from Brock Waters. Other Indians contributing to the scoring included: Quinton Cravens 8, Dalton Straub 6, Jeremiah Neitzel 5, Dalton Straub 4, Taylor Rogers 4, and Jordan Raby 4, and Tayton Weeter 3.
