Indians silenced in second half by Crystal City

BISMARCK – The Bismarck Indians hung tough with the 6-1 Crystal City Hornets for the first half of Friday’s basketball game, but the Hornets took flight in the second half as their defense held the Indians to only six points, all in the third quarter for a 68-24 win.

The Hornets grabbed the early lead with an initial 12-2 run as the Indians had turnovers woes. Bismarck responded in the last four minutes of the quarter on a 6-2 run of their own to keep within reach of the Hornets.

Crystal City (7-1) scored the first two baskets of the second quarter to start a second pull away, but like the first quarter, the Indians rallied to stay in the game. Preston Watson drilled the first three of the game, and three possessions later, Hunter Drake hit a second three.

Both teams suffered seven turnovers in the quarter as a steal by one team often resulted in a steal by the other before the ball was shot by either one. Bismarck’s Austin Jarvis made two steals in the quarter resulting in trips to the free-throw line where he was 3-4.

A.J. Bassin closed out the half by converting a three-point play to give him 11 points in the first half for Crystal City, and he opened the third with another converted three on his way to a game-high 18.

Grant Latham scored Bismarck’s first basket of the third quarter, and Cody Schafluetzel added a second. Latham and Watson both scored five points to lead the Indians in scoring.

Dustin Lincoln scored off of an offensive rebound, but for the last three minutes of the quarter and the entire fourth, it was all Crystal City. The Hornets scored 28 in the third quarter of their 41 in the half.

Bismarck will play Viburnum next in the Rotary Classic Shoot- out at Mineral Area College with game time at noon today.

Crystal City 14 13 28 13 – 68

Bismarck 8 10 6 0 – 24

SCORING:

Crystal City – A.J. Bassin 18, Andrew Sawdy 16, Brady De Geare 15, Ahmad Townsend 6, Kyle French 6, Logan Grove 5, Matt Eisenbeis 2. 3-point FG – Sawdy, Grove. (FT 6-11).

Bismarck – Grant Latham 5, Preston Watson 5, Cody Schafluetzel 4, Austin Jarvis 3, Hunter Drake 3. 3-point FG – Drake, Watson. (FT 6-10).

Bismarck’s Austin Jarvis (20) heads to the basket after making the first of two steals in the second quarter.

Preston Watson slips away from a pair of Crystal City defenders after pulling down an offensive rebound for Bismarck in the second quarter.