Indians Clobber the Rabbits
JV Teams Loses
The Indians split their games with Greeley County on Friday, February 17. The varsity Indians clobbered the Jackrabbits 68-27. The junior varsity Indians lost to the Rabbits 27-38.
The varsity game was a lob-sided contest with the Indians controlling the action from the opening moments. St. Francis jumped out to a quick 9-0 lead getting a trey from Tate Busse (assist Taylor Rogers), a right-corner jumper from Jeremiah Neitzel (assist Quinton Cravens), and a steal-two and two free-throws from Brock Waters. At 5:23, the Jackrabbits scored their first basket, a banked in three-ball from the top-of-the-key by Sebastian Torres. The Indians followed with a post-move basket by Neitzel, a stick-back basket by Waters, and another post basket by Neitzel (assist Cravens). The score quickly ballooned to 15-3. The second Greeley County (GC) basket came near the two-minute mark and was scored by sophomore Thatcher Lackey in the post. The Indians added two more free-throws by Waters, a left-wing trey by Busse, and a fast-break basket by Brady Dinkel (assist Busse) to close the quarter. St. Francis led 22-5 after one period of play.
The Indians increased the pace a bit in the second period getting several run-out baskets after steals and rebounds. After a basket by Brady Dinkel to open the second period, GC's junior Evan Crotinger drained at trey. It would be the last basket the Jackrabbits would score for a bit while the Indians reeled off 11 unanswered points. In the run the Indians received two baskets from Brady Dinkel (assists Tate Busse), a Busse trey, a fast-break basket by Quinton Cravens (assist Taylor Rogers), and a dunk by Busse (assist Waters). With 4:20 left in the first half, the Indians led 35-8. The run was halted by a left-corner jumper by Torres. The next Indian run spanned approximately four minutes and included six more scores. Jeremiah Neitzel scored on an assist by Cravens. Busse followed with another dunk attempt, but was fouled and converted two free-throws. Cravens added a stick-back basket, Dalton Straub a free-throw and basket (assist Cravens), and Brady Dinkel scored on a fast-break (assist Cravens). The Indians completed one of their best halves of the season shooting a very high percentage from the field and only allowing two turnovers during the action. The Indians led 47-10 at the break.
The Indians continued to roll in the third period, opening the second half with another 12-point run. Coupled with the Indians run in the latter portion of the first half, the Indians' extended run had out-scored the Jackrabbits 24-0. Brock Waters opened the scoring with a post basket. A Waters to Busse assist resulted in another trey on the second Indian possession and prompted a directive by Coach Busse to work the ball for lay-ups. The next Indian score came after a steal by Jeremiah Neitzel ended in an assist by Cravens on a Waters score. With 6:22 left in the third, Indians Dalton Straub and Brady Dinkel re-entered the game. After scores by Waters and Cravens (assist Straub) moving the advantage to 59-10, the Jackrabbits added their first basket of the quarter at the 4:18 mark. Several Indian subs had been sitting at the scorer's table waiting for a pause in the action to enter, but a 3:15, the St. Francis called time-out to get their substitute players into the game. The Indians led 63-12 after an offensive rebound basket by Straub and a steal-two by K.C. Krien. GC freshman Jasper Lackey then scored for the Rabbits. The quarter closed after the addition of a Straub free-throw and a Dinkel fast-break basket (plus one). The Indians led 67-14 at the third quarter break.
The fourth quarter was played with a running clock and the Indians working under "lay-ups only" restrictions. The Indians only scored one more point, a free-throw by Connor Keller, while allowing several points on miscues during the final period. The Indians defeated the Jackrabbits 68-27 in varsity action. Greeley County scored 13 of their 27 total points in the final period.
St. Francis had three players in double-figures; Tate Busse 16, Brock Waters 15, and Brady Dinkel 14. Other Indians contributing to the point total were Jeremiah Neitzel 8, Quinton Cravens 6, Dalton Straub 6, K.C. Krien 2, and Conner Keller 1. The Indians made 11 of 19 from the stripe.
Greeley County was led in scoring by Sebsastian Torres (sophomore) with 9 and Jose Chavez (sophomore) with 6. The Rabbits converted 1 of 3 from the stripe.
In junior varsity action, the Indians only held one lead in the contest (6-4) when Draven Houtman scored on an offensive rebound with one minute left in the first period. A post basket by Thatcher Lackey tied the contest with 9 seconds remaining in the quarter.
The Indians committed several turnovers in the second period (totaling 13 in the first half) and the result was additional opportunities for the Jackrabbits. Greeley County took a five-point lead (6-11) with 5 minutes left in the half and stretched the lead to 13-21 by halftime.
Neither team scored much in the third period. The Indians received two baskets by Jordan Raby and a shot by Tayton Weeter, but the deficit remained the same. St. Francis trailed 18-26 after three periods.
The Indians opened the final period with a jumper from the elbow by Raby and right-corner shot by Weeter narrowing the deficit to 23-26. It was as close as the Indians would get as the Jackrabbits responded with a trey and a deuce in the next minute of action. The junior varsity Indians lost to Greeley County 27-38.
St. Francis will play Wallace County in St. Francis on Tuesday, February 21. The game will be the final regular season contest for the Indians.
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