Gallery by Karen Akers
The first four games of the season were nothing short of frustrating for the Independence boys basketball team.
The subpar performances led coach Mike Green to promise a renewed energy and commitment from his team when the new year rolled around.
Monday night in the opening game of the New River CTC Invitational at the Beckley-Raleigh County Convention, it all started to click for the Patriots.
Placing six players in double figures along with double-doubles from Logan Phalin and Cyrus Goodson, Independence ran roughshod over Richwood for a 95-37 win.
“We spent the last week-to-10 days working on basic fundamental basketball and conditioning. I think we got their attention a little bit about sharing the basketball,” Independence head coach Mike Green said. “I am not sure how many assists we had tonight, but I feel like we had more tonight than we have had in the first four games combined.”
The Lumberjacks held the early advantage, but struggles on the defensive glass and the Indy pressure began to take its toll.
Trailing 15-12, Michael McKinney tied the game on a 3-ball at the 1:40 mark. The athletic senior then scored at the rim on a drive which sparked a 15-0 run that carried into the second quarter.
Richwood struggled all night to keeping Goodson and McKinney out of the lane.
“What I tell them is that when they get to the rim and the double and triple team comes, get rid of it. We did that tonight,” Green said. “They played really good, fundamental team basketball and it showed.”
Penetration from Goodson led to three easy scores from Corey Shumate who scored all 14 of his points in the first 16 minutes. McKinney capped the run with his second steal and coast-to-coast scoring drive for a 27-15 lead.
Richwood then cut the lead back to 11 with two minutes to play in the half on a deep three from Aiden Miller and a jumper from Brayden Spencer, but that was as close as the Lumberjacks would get the rest of the game.
A score inside from Phalin was followed by a stickback from Shumate. Another drive by McKinney found Jordan James free underneath for an 18-point lead that was 47-30 at halftime.
Although his team lead by 17 points, Green still felt the Patriots left some points on the floor in the first half.
“At halftime, we were 4-of-14 from 3. I didn’t tell them not to shoot, but I told them not to shoot unless they are wide open step in 3’s,” Green said. “I want to play fast, but I want to play under control. We didn’t do it in the first half.”
The Patriots opened the second half attacking the paint and Phalin answered the challenge with 13 of his game-high 25 points in the quarter to blow it open.
“Logan has battled in the four games we have played and has been that work-horse in the paint. The difference today was we were feeding him the ball. Up until tonight he just got what he could get and put it back in,” Green said.
When the third quarter horn sounded, Independence had outscored Richwood, 32-5.
Phalin also grabbed 12 rebounds on the night, while Goodson tossed in 10 points to go along with his 10 assists. McKinney added 15, while Carter Adkins scored 14 and James had 10.
Spencer led the Lumberjacks with 17 points.
“We were much better than the previous four games and we still have a ways to go, but we are making progress,” Green said. “We have another chance (Tuesday) when we play at PikeView, so we will see. We are focusing on possessions and winning quarters. Hopefully that will lead to winning halves and games. I am happy with the performance and hopefully tomorrow will be similar.”
I: 23 24 32 16 – 95
R: 15 15 5 2 – Â 37
Richwood 37
Cooper Donahue 7, Aiden Miller 3, Grant Russell 5, Brayden Spencer 17, Josh Landreth 5
Independence 95
Michael McKinney 15, Logan Phalin 25, J.D. Monroe 3, Cyrus Goodson 10, Corey Shumate 14, Jordan James 10, Carter Adkins 14, Cameron Vandall 2, Hunter Moore 2
3-point goals – R: 4 (Donahue, Miller, Russell, Spencer); I: 5 (McKinney, Monroe, James, Adkins 2)
