'Hound women drop conference game to Indy

Fort Scott's Kendra Mattox (21) takes a shot over a pair of Independence defenders during the first half of play at Arnold Arena Saturday afternoon. Mattox scored 5 points for the Greyhounds in a 58-48 loss to the Pirates. (Kenny Felt/Captured Images) [Click to enlarge]

There are times when a team may just be on the brink of breaking out but just can't seem to get past something. However you want to say it: Over the hump, over the edge, past the wall.

Fort Scott Community College's women may be an example of that. There have been several games in which they have appeared to be on the brink of getting over that hump this season but, for some reason, haven't quite done it. Saturday's Jayhawk Conference-Eastern Division game against Independence at Arnold Arena may have been another example of that.

Greyhound head coach Diana Couch says her team keeps track of the game in five-minute segments. FSCC's play in a couple of those segments was very good. But they didn't win enough of them and fell to the Pirates, 58-48.

This was the fifth time this season Fort Scott (1-3 East, 9-7 overall) has been held under 50 points. They've lost every time.

"We seem to be coming out and having good things happen out of the gate but then we give up a (certain) five minutes in the game and that's what we usually pay for in the end," Couch said. "It would have been different in the last five minutes of the game if we could have executed and done some things."

Independence (1-3, 10-5), which avoided an 0-4 conference start for the first time since 1989, also outrebounded Fort Scott, 48-33. According to Jayhawk Conference stats, FSCC usually outrebounds its opponents. That 33 they had was 7 boards below their season average.

"I told them the only stat that disappointed me was being outrebounded," Couch said. "When you're outrebounded by (15), it's a big difference maker. That was really our main problem tonight. Our rebounders just weren't there. I've never seen us not rebound like that before."

Fort Scott won the first five minutes of play, holding a 7-4 lead with 15:08 to go. But over the next 9-plus minutes, Indy outscored the 'Hounds 22-7.

Kendra Mattox got the 'Hounds going again with 5:40 to go when she made the first of consecutive baskets. This sparked an 11-2 half-ending run that brought Fort Scott within 28-25.

"I'm proud of the kids," Couch said. "Independence is a great team and we were with them neck-and-neck. We've been playing teams (well) like that and I think we can get so much better if we can get a mental edge. I think we can get some big wins."

Indy, however, shot out the 'Hounds in the first five minutes of the second half while extending the lead to 36-25. Valencia Kelly broke Fort Scott out of its doldrums with a 3-pointer from the right side -- it's first make of the half after opening with 8 consecutive misses. Then Kasey Teich hit a triple to bring FSCC within 36-31.

Five points was as close as the 'Hounds got the rest of the game. They suffered through a 5 1/2-minute stretch without a field goal until Brittany Demery hit a jumper with 3:30 to go to cut the margin to 47-39. It was a stretch during which Fort Scott took a lot of jump shots that just would not fall.

"I think some of the girls got stuck in taking the same shots that weren't falling all night when they needed to look to penetrate more," Couch said. "Mentally, we didn't execute at the right times."

Indy finished the contest 21 of 55 from the field for 38 percent and 12 of 19 from the free-throw line. Fort Scott shot 31 percent from the floor on 19 of 61 but went to the free-throw line only 5 times, making 3. Despite the free-throw discrepancy, there were only 23 fouls called -- 13 against the 'Hounds.

"The officials were calling a different type of game; they were allowing our girls to play," Couch said. "And that kind of put a transition on us."

Fort Scott committed only 10 turnovers to Indy's 18 and picked up 10 steals, dished 11 assists and blocked 5 shots.

Kelly finished with 17 points for the Greyhounds but no one else had more than 9. Tori Halvorsen, who scored the Pirates' first 8 points, finished the game with a team-high 16. Sadie Webb added 13 and Liene Priede chipped in with 12.

"We have three players averaging double-digits (scoring); Independence has one," Fort Scott head coach Diana Couch said. "Tonight, it was the other way around. We can't have that kind of thing."

Demery had 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals and 3 blocks for the 'Hounds. Shadara Hampton also dished 3 assists and Kelly also had 3 steals.

The Greyhounds are idle until Wednesday night when they face Cowley at 5:30 p.m. in Arnold Arena.

"Cowley beat Independence at Independence," Couch said. "We're going to prepare for them like we did Indy. I think we did a great job defensively containing (Indy's) main offensive set. I don't think that was our problem too much."

NOTES -- Unlike the men, Fort Scott's women did not play Monday night at Johnson County. They won't play there until February 24....

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INDEPENDENCE: Hines 2-3 2-2 7, Plowman 0-1 0-0 0, tastove 0-4 0-0 0, Halvorsen 6-11 3-5 16, Priede 4-9 2-4 12, Moyer 1-4 0-0 2, Webb 5-14 3-6 13, Mier 0-0 0-0 0, Bunde 2-5 2-2 6, Floyd 1-4 0-0 2. TOTALS: 21-55 12-19 58.

FORT SCOTT: Teich 3-12 0-0 8, Hampton 2-9 0-0 6, Mattox 2-4 1-2 5, Demery 4-10 1-1 9, Kelly 7-23 0-0 17, Hathaway 1-1 0-0 2, Okoronkow 0-1 1-2 1, Jackson 0-1 0-0 0. TOTALS: 19-61 3-5 48.

Halftime: Independence, 28-25.

Three-point field goals: Independence 4-16 (Priede 2-5, Hines 1-2, Halvorsen 1-3, Tastove 0-2, Moyer 0-2, Webb 0-2), Fort Scott 7-28 (Kelly 3-7, Hampton 2-8, Teich 2-12, Demery 0-1).

Total fouls: Independence 10, Fort Scott 13. Fouled out: None. Technical fouls: None.

Rebounds: Independence 48 (Hines 8), Fort Scott 33 (Demery 8). Assists: Independence 6 (6 with 1 each), Fort Scott 11 (Hampton 3, Demery 3). Turnovers: Independence 18, Fort Scott 10. Steals: Independence 6 (Webb 2), Fort Scott 10 (Demery 3, Kelly 3). Blocked shots: Independence 1 (Preide), Fort Scott 5 (Demery 3).