Experience and patience paid off.
Indian Lake got a 50-32 win over neighbor and league rival Benjamin Logan in Central Buckeye Conference girls basketball on Wednesday.
It was also Senior Night for the Lady Lakers, with forward Mackenzie Dixon honored in pregame ceremonies.
After a bit of a slow start, Indian Lake pulled ahead at the end of the first quarter. They continued to gain ground, as Ben Logan did its best to disrupt matters. Indian Lake maintained the lead, then pulled away with a run late in the third and early in the fourth.
Indian Lake finishes the league slate at 7-3, while Ben Logan went 1-9. Overall, the Lakers are now 13-8, with the Raiders at 4-18. Ben Logan’s regular season is also done, with a sectional tournament game against Archbishop Alter on Feb. 11 next for them.
Kennedy Schwaderer led Indian Lake’s scoring with 20 points. Dixon had 10 and Carly Strayer added eight.
Schwaderer also had six rebounds, five steals and three assists. Strayer got nine rebounds.
“We wanted to jump out to an early lead and keep the energy on our side and not let it got back their way,” said Lakers coach Yasmyn Inskeep. “We wanted to make sure our defense was where it needed to be and then offensively, make sure we were moving the ball and finding the open look.”
She said the team team did better defensively in the second half. “It was a big one for us to kind of get back on track,” said Inskeep. “We had lost three in a row, and so we wanted to make sure that we got that win and kind of get back on that winning bracket and propel that forward into tournament.”
For Ben Logan, Kyle Harner had 11 points, Adilynne Gregg scored six and Daylin Varner added five.
“The way we wanted to compete was to get (Indian Lake) off what they do really well. They don’t do anything super flashy, but the things that they do well, they do very, very well.,” said Raiders coach Greg Saylor.
“It’s going to be hard nights for us where we go through these scoring droughts. You can have great kids, you can have a great game plan, but if you can’t score the ball you’re playing with one arm tied behind your back.”
Harner opened matters with a three-pointer on the opening possession for the Lady Raiders. Indian Lake got a pair of free throws by Strayer and a basket by Schwaderer.
A couple of trips to the free throw line got three points for the visitors. But that would be where they went dry for the rest of the period.
Schwaderer hit a three to put Indian Lake back ahead, then Strayer, Schwaderer and Rya Pequignot each scored to put them ahead 13-6.
The momentum carried over with scores by Dixon and Schwaderer extending the gap. Ben Logan finally got a shot to fall at the midway point by Joplin Schneider. She would score again, as would Varner.
However, Indian Lake answered those with a three by Schwaderer and a layup from Alivia Kinney.
Ben Logan collected scores by Molly Siefring and Harner as the first half wound down.
Dixon scored off an inbounds in between those Raiders baskets. Shen then twice drove in for scores, and Pequignot drained a pair from the free throw line to make it 30 for the Lakers. Varner got one to fall, putting the Raiders at 12 points back.
Harner connected from long range to start the third, just as she had to open the game. Both defenses cracked down, with no field goals for either side over about a three-minute stretch.
Another three by Harner with 4:05 to go brought Ben Logan within seven points, 31-24.
Schwaderer responded to Harner’s shot with a three-ball of her own on the next trip down the floor. Gregg attempted a shot that went off the glass, but she grabbed the rebound and put it back in.
Indian Lake added four more free throws and prevented Ben Logan from getting anything for the remainder of the third period.
Dixon and Schwaderer scored about 90 seconds apart to start the fourth and make it 42-26. Strayer hit two shots after a foul and Schwaderer hit again to get the lead up to 20.
The rest of the contest saw Indian Lake keep things well under control. Dixon was taken out to a round of applause with a couple minutes left. Other reserves entered for both sides to close it out.
Benjamin Logan won the junior varsity game 44-35.
On Saturday, Indian Lake will host Jackson Center, with JV play at noon. They will open postseason play against Kenton Ridge on Feb. 15.
Indian Lake 50, Ben Logan 32
Score by quarters
Raiders 6. 12. 8. 6 32
Lakers 13. 17. 8. 12 50
Ben Logan
Kylie Harner 4 0-0 11; Molly Siefring 1 0-0 2; Miley Buettner 0 0-0 0; Bonnie Brunson 0 0-0 0; Kaylee Hays 0 0-0 0; Daylin Varner 2 1-2 5; Bryleigh Burnside 1 0-0 2; Aubrey Harris 0 0-0 0; Hailey Smith 1 0-0 2; Lexi Lovett 0 0-0 0; Joplin Schneider 2 0-0 4; Lahna Cook 0 0-0 0; Adilynne Gregg 2 2-2 6; TOTALS 13 3-4 32.
Indian Lake
Brylee Buyer 0 0-0 0; Haley Metzger 0 0-0 0; Alivia Kinney 1 2-2 4; Rya Pequignot 1 4-6 6; Carly Strayer 2 4-4 8; Courtney Altstaetter 1 0-0 2; Kennedy Schwaderer 8 1-2 20; Madison Davis 0 0-0 0; Mackenzie Dixon 5 0-2 10; Terra Beltz 0 0-0 0; TOTALS 18 11-16 52.