Indians Claim Third Place With Dighton Win
The Indians defeated Dighton 62-47 to earn third place in the Northwest Kansas League Tournament on January 20. The Indians build a lead as large as 24 points in the contest jumping all-over the Hornets in the first eleven minutes of the contest to establish a large early lead. The Indians played a "clean" game recording less than 10 turnovers in the contest.
Dighton earn baskets by Kaden Bradstreet (right corner and Marcus Rowe (lane) to take a quick 0-5 lead. The Indians did not score until the 5:15 mark when an assist by Wyatt Hackler set up a post basket by Dalton Straub. Brady Dinkel added a baseline drive, and Tate Busse a left-wing trey to give the Indians their first lead of the contest 7-5. As the Hornets' turnovers continued to mount, the Indians gained extra possessions. A Dighton turnover led to a right-wing trey by Dinkel. At 2:38, Straub scored after recording a steal at the opposite end of the floor. Dighton sandwiched a free-throw between a baseline drive by Straub and basket by Tayton Weeter (assist Busse). The Indians had out-scored the Hornets 15-1 to close the first period and led 16-6.
The run would continue as the Indians scored the first 8 points of the second period. On the first Dighton possession, Brady Dinkel earned a steal-two. A steal by Tate Busse led to a free-throw. Adam Krien's assist set up another basket by Dalton Straub (plus one). At 5:43, Dighton called time-out to regroup trailing 22-6. After returning to the floor, the next Dighton possession ended with a Busse steal and dunk. The Indians had outscored the Hornets 24-1 to lead 24-6. David Cramer ended the SF run with back-to-back baskets in the lane. Dinkel followed with a left-corner trey. Straub then added two strong baskets from the post and Busse a jumper from the free-throw line area. The advantage was now 33-10. Dighton added a left-wing trey by Brendan Whipple and a stick-back basket by Cramer (plus one) to close the first half. St. Francis led 33-16 at halftime.
Tate Busse swished a right-wing trey on the first Indian possession of the second half. Rowe followed with a post basket for Dighton. Dinkel then added a right-wing bank-shot followed with a sly grin. After a Hornet basket and free-throw, Busse scored on a drive. Rowe's post basket was answered by driving score by Dinkel on the ensuing possession. A steal and drive by Busse resulted in two-more charity tosses. Whipple then tossed in another trey from the left corner. Richard Johnson contributed a stick-back basket, and a Tayton Weeter to Busse pass completed a SF fast-break. Rowe scored from the right baseline to complete the third period. St. Francis led 49-28 at the break.
Cramer's free-throws opened the final period. Richard Johnson followed with bucket. At 6:26, Dighton used a time-out for strategy. After returning to action, Johnson scored again on an offensive rebound (53-20). Hornet free-throws separated a steal-two and trey by Tate Busse. Between 5:05 and 2:40, Cramer added three consecutive baskets to Dighton's total. When Logan Lingg added a fourth consecutive basket for Dighton, Coach Busse had seen enough and called time-out at 2:15. The Indian's 24-point lead had been trimmed to 13 (58-45). An assist by Dinkel to Straub in the post stopped the Hornets' 11-point run. After a stick-back basket by Dighton's Burke Shapland, Busse chipped in 3-of-4 free-throws to close the contest. St. Francis defeated Dighton 62-47.
Dighton had two players score in double-figures; 6' 2" sophomore Kaden Bradstreet with 15 and 6' 0" junior David Cramer with 13. The Hornets made 7 of 10 from the line and gathered 12 fouls.
St. Francis was led in scoring by Tate Busse with 24 points. Dalton Straub and Brady Dinkel each added 15 points. Other scoring for St. Francis included Richard Johnson with 6 and Tayton Weeter with 2. The Indians were whistled for 16 fouls and made 6 of 9 from the line.
The Indians will play Rawlins County, in Atwood, on Friday January 26.
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