The Independent Panthers will look to defend their home court on Tuesday against the Belle Plaine Dragons at 7:30 p.m. One thing working in Independent's favor is that they have posted big point totals in their last three games.
Independent was handed a three-point loss in their last game, but they sure didn't let that happen against Chaparral on Friday. Independent put the hurt on Chaparral with a sharp 69-46 victory. Given Independent's advantage in MaxPreps' Kansas basketball rankings (they are ranked 102nd, while Chaparral is ranked 264th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Independent got their victory on the backs of several key players, but it was Luke Henderson out in front who scored 21 points along with five assists. Another player making a difference was Sir Ryan Dennis, who scored 17 points.
Meanwhile, Belle Plaine was the victim of a rough 62-40 loss at the hands of Conway Springs on Friday. Belle Plaine has now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.
Independent's victory bumped their record up to 11-6. As for Belle Plaine, they have not been sharp recently as the team has lost ten of their last 11 contests, which put a noticeable dent in their 5-13 record this season.
Independent was able to grind out a solid win over Belle Plaine when the teams last played back in March of 2023, winning 56-48. Does Independent have another victory up their sleeve, or will Belle Plaine turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
