Pirate defense, rebounding control contest

Sometimes winning isn't about as many points as a team can score as much as it's about how many points a team can prevent from being scored.

Independence's control of the boards and its ability to keep Fort Scott Community College's scorers, for the most part, in check allowed the Pirates to leave Arnold Arena Saturday with a 57-49 victory in Jayhawk Conference-Eastern Division play.

The Greyhounds were going for their first season sweep of the Pirates in at least 10 seasons -- likely longer -- after they had won at Independence earlier in the season. Instead, they fell into a three-way tie for second place in the East at 8-4 (16-8 overall) with Kansas City and Allen County, both of which are 18-6 overall.

Independence moved one game behind that pack at 7-5 along with Labette and Cowley. Indy is 15-9 overall while Labette is 13-10 and Cowley is 13-11.

Fort Scott travels to Cowley Wednesday night looking for a season sweep of the Tigers, which would be a key tie-breaker when it comes to Region VI Tournament seeding.

Saturday, Indy controlled the boards, outrebounding Fort Scott 44-35 while holding the Greyhounds to 26-percent field-goal shooting on 16 of 62.

Fort Scott made just four of 27 three-point attempts, going 0 for 14 in the second half.

The 'Hounds had only one strong offensive run in the entire game. It came late in the second half when Bateko Francisco scored the first seven points in a 9-0 run. Kyle Cooper's three-pointer capped the run and put Fort Scott in front, 23-20, with 3:06 to go.

But the Greyhounds wouldn't score again until the 17:40 mark of the second half. The Pirates scored the last six of the half to take a 26-24 lead into the locker room.

Indy received a major boost from reserve post T.J. Stukes, who came off the bench to score every point of a 10-2 run that put the Pirates up 20-13 before that Greyhound run.

Fort Scott never was able to regain the lead, although the 'Hounds got within 48-46 after Chris Clausen made two free throws to cap an 8-3 run with 4:24 to go in the game.

Rico Seay hit a three-point shot for Indy to make it a five-point game before Terrell Turner scored off an A.J. Rhea steal to make it 51-48 with 1:46 to go.

It was looking as if, despite their offensive woes, the Greyhounds might be able to pull out the victory. Independence committed what could have been a key turnover with 1:34 to go and the 'Hounds were ready to take advantage.

Zach Freeman got the ball on the left side and took a three-point shot that bounced high off the rim and went in -- but it hit the support cable above the goal and was disallowed.

And that may have been the game in a nutshell for the Greyhounds, who were able to score only one more point. Stukes rebounded his own missed free throw and stuck it back in to make it a 53-48 lead with 40 seconds to go. After Fort Scott made one free throw, they had to foul to save time. But Indy's Gordon Ward made all four free throws in the last 30 seconds.

Fort Scott rallied despite the fact that post Arsenio Williams fouled out with 8:12 to go. Indy kept Williams in check when he was in as he made only four of 10 shots from the field and had just five rebounds.

Cooper finished with 15 points and eight rebounds to lead the 'Hounds in both areas. Francisco finished with 11 points but had only four in the second half.

Stukes made nine of 10 shots from the field and finished with 20 points and 13 boards for Independence. Seay, who hit three triples in the second half, added 14 points.

Fort Scott lost a game in which it allowed less than 60 points for just the third time since the 1994-95 season (29-3). However, the Greyhounds have not won a game in the shot-clock era in which they have scored fewer than 50 points (0-18).

The loss not only closes the gap between second and seventh place in the Eastern Division, it also creates a scramble for home-court advantage in the Region VI Tournament.

Fort Scott and Cowley are tied for the No. 2 seed with 6-4 marks against teams in Division I (everybody in the East except Johnson County and Highland). The Greyhounds will hold a tie-breaker over Cowley if they can win Wednesday night.

Kansas City and Independence both have 5-4 Region VI marks. Fort Scott has split the season series with both teams, so a tie with either one would be broken by how they've performed against other teams.

The top four seeds get a first-round home game in the tournament. Allen County, which is 4-4, and Labette, 4-5, are also still in the hunt for home games.

Neosho County, five losses behind Labette with only four Region VI games remaining, is the only team without a chance to get a home game.

Coffeyville leads both the division (10-2) and the tournament seeding (7-2).