TROY — The Lakers and Polar Bears delivered a physical, back-and-forth battle decided in the final seconds of their tournament game Saturday, Feb. 21 at Troy High School.
Indian Lake’s season came to a heartbreaking end with a 48–47 loss to Northridge in the the Division III, Region 12 Southwest District matchup.
The Lady Lakers wasted no time getting on the board as Altstaetter scored inside on the opening possession. From there, the Lakers found an early rhythm. Sophomore Alivia Kinney heated up from the outside, knocking down a pair of three-pointers, while the defense limited the penetration of senior guard J. Martin. Indian Lake controlled the tempo in the opening frame and carried a 17-8 lead into the second quarter.
But the Polar Bears answered.
Northridge flipped the momentum in the second quarter, outscoring the Lakers 16-4. Applying relentless full-court pressure, the Polar Bears forced turnovers that quickly turned into points. The surge erased Indian Lake’s advantage and sent the Lakers into halftime trailing 24-21.
The third quarter turned into a physical tug-of-war. Indian Lake responded with defensive intensity of its own, forcing turnovers and battling back to reclaim the lead. Each team traded blows in a hard-fought period, with the Lakers edging ahead 37-36 entering the final quarter.
The stage was set for a dramatic finish.
The teams exchanged baskets and free throws down the stretch, neither willing to give an inch. Northridge’s full-court pressure once again proved pivotal in the closing minutes, forcing quick turnovers and capitalizing to regain the lead. Indian Lake answered with a basket with less than 20 seconds remaining, prompting a timeout. Needing a quick foul to extend the game, the Lakers were unable to stop the clock as the Polar Bears protected possession and held on for a narrow 1-point victory.
At the free-throw line, Northridge converted 9 of 12 attempts for 75 percent, while Indian Lake finished 10 of 13 for 77 percent.
Indian Lake was led offensively by seniors Kennedy Schwaderer with 12 points and Carley Strayer with 10 points, while Kinney added 11 points.
Indian Lake closes the season with a 13-10 record.
Northridge advances to face Oakwood Wednesday in sectional playoff action.
