Indians Lose To Hoxie
On Thursday evening, February 14, the St. Francis Indians traveled to Hoxie to make-up a NWKL basketball contest that had been postponed twice to weather conditions. The team battled hard and though both teams operated with less than a full roster due to sickness and injuries, Hoxie earned a 40-55 victory. St. Francis played without starter Connor Keller (sickness) and Hoxie had two players out due to injury; Sean Robben (6' 4 Sr.) and Jake Geisinger (6' 7" Sr.).
A left wing trey by Brady Dinkel for the Indians was soon answered by a right-corner trey by Hoxie's Jarrod Dible (6' 0" Sr.). Dible gave Hoxie their first lead (5-3) with a driving score. K.C.Krien followed with a fast-break score for St. Francis. After two free-throws by Hoxie's Harlan Obioha (6' 9" So.), Adam Krien's top-of-the-key trey gave the lead back to St. Francis (8-7). Jesse Baxter followed with a jumper in the lane. Soon, the Indians fouled Jared Kennedy on a three-point shot. Kennedy (6' 0" Sr.) made 2-of-3 retaking the lead. A left-wing trey by Ashton Dowell (5' 10" Fr.) was followed by a St. Francis time-out at 1:27 due to Dinkel's bleeding nose. Hoxie would add five more points in the first period; a driving score and three consecutive free-throws by Dible. St. Francis trailed 10-17 after one period of action.
The Hoxie lead would reach double-digits on the first score of the second period; a left-wing trey by Parker Jones (6' 4" Jr.). It would be the only field goal of the period for Hoxie. K.C. Krien converted a Hoxie turnover into a basket. Brady Dinkel then added a left-elbow bucket after an offensive rebound. After a score on a drive by Jesse Baxter, the Indians had trimmed the deficit to 16-20. Only free-throws remained to be scored in the period. Kaden Tremblay (5' 7" Sr.) and Gavin Tremblay (5' 7" So.) each added two free-throws for Hoxie. Baxter made 1-of-2 for St. Francis. St. Francis trailed 17-24 at the halftime break.
I was obvious that Hoxie had decided to involve their big man a bit more in the second half. With Hoxie being very deliberate to work the ball inside, Harlan Obioha scored the first two baskets for Hoxie from short range. Colton Neitzel sandwiched a free-throw between the Obioha scores for St. Francis. A left wing-trey by Logan Weimer (5' 8" Sr.) was followed by three consecutive field goals by Jared Kennedy (6' 0" Sr.); a post score, an out-of-bounds play basket, and right-wing trey. At the 3:45 mark of the third period, following a 14-1 third quarter run, Hoxie led by twenty (18-38). Adam Krien and Brady Dinkel added free-throws, and at 2:37, Hoxie used their second time-out of the game leading 21-38. After returning to the floor, Jarrod Dible scored on a jump-hook from the baseline. Richard Johnson followed with a stick-back basket for the Indians, but Hoxie answered with a drive by Gavin Tremblay and another post score by Obioha (23-44). After four Krien free-throws, Dible swished a buzzer-beater top-of-the-key trey for Hoxie. The Indians had managed to only score one field goal in the third period and now trailed 27-47. Brady Dinkel opened the final period with a pair of free-throws. Obioha answered with post score (plus one). Krien added two free-throws for the Indians a bit later. At 5:33, Obioha fouled out of the contest. His absence certainly aided the St. Francis cause; both offensively and defensively. Dinkel added a pair of free-throws and left-wing trey in short order, and with just over 3 minutes left, Jarrod Dible picked-up his 4th foul on a charge drawn by Richard Johnson. At 3:05, Hoxie used another time-out. A free-throw by Kaden Tremblay was followed by a deep-three by Dinkel. Hoxie then added a fast-break score by Thaddeus Friess (5' 9" Sr.) and turnover-two by Tremblay. The final score of the contest was a free-throw by Adam Krien. St. Francis lost to a talented Hoxie team 40-55.
Brady Dinkel led all scorers with 17 points. Adam Krien added 9 for the Indians. Others contributing to the St. Francis scoring total were K.C. Krien 6, Jesse Baxter 5, Richard Johnson 2, and Colton Nietzel 1. The Indians committed 17 fouls and 13 turnovers. St. Francis was 16 of 23 from the free-throw line.
Hoxie made 13 of 16 from the stripe. The home-standing Indians committed 22 fouls and had 15 turnovers.
St. Francis will play Greeley County on Friday, February 15, in Tribune.
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