Red Devils foiled

By

Sports

January 29, 2015 - 12:00 AM

Another game of ups and downs left Allen Community College’s womens basketball team leaving the gym deflated. After a promising start, the Red Devil women lost to Independence 82-66.
“We gave up too many easy shots in the paint,” coach Katie Mahoney said. “So, whether it was transition or they just got easy touches in the paint, they were able to score. We gave up some big offensive rebounds on free throws  and definitely turnovers, they killed us.”
After staring the game down 2-0, Erika Essman started the game on her own scoring tear. She took three 3-pointers on three straight possessions. She made all of them and gave the Red Devils a 9-2 lead with 18 minutes left.
But, as quickly as Allen had the lead, it dissipated. Allen’s Haley Wilson kept the Red Devils in front with her own 3-pointer with 13:45 left. It gave ACC a 16-12 lead. It was only a bandage on a cut that needed stitches.
With 11:20 left in the first half, Indy’s Maressah Milum drove through the lane for an uncontested layup. The Pirates took a 18-16 lead — a lead that would only get bigger. At the half, Independence widened its lead to 31-24.
Six minutes into the second half and Indy led 45-30. Allen’s offense wasn’t done scoring, but their defense just wasn’t there. Daniela Azubell and Kai Jones each hit a 3-pointer in a minute and 30 second span. But, Independence had a 4-0 run in-between the Allen baskets. The Pirates led 55-37 with 11:15 left to play.
Azubell kept Allen alive a minute later. On a Red Devil free throw, Indy won the battle for the board. Azubell stayed with it and stole the ball. She took a quick jumper and ACC trailed by 14 points at 56-42 in favor of Indy. That is as close as the game got the rest of the way.
Besides 3-pointers by Essman, Azubell and Ashley Washington, there was not enough stops on defense for the Red Devils to come back.
The Pirates dominated on second chance points. They outrebounded Allen 41-35. Independence had nine turnovers to Allen’s 16.
“We have sections where we play really well,” Mahoney said. “We’ve just got to figure out how to sustain it the whole game.”
Azubell led the team with 15 points, while grabbing four rebounds. Essman finished with 12 points, shooting 4-6 from beyond the arc. Rachael Bruce led the Red Devils with 11 rebounds and scored eight points.
ACC (5-17 overall, 1-4 conference) go to Coffeyville on Saturday for a 5 p.m. start.

Related
November 22, 2017
November 17, 2014
March 29, 2013
February 11, 2013