By DAREN DUNN
Hutch Post
INDEPENDENCE, Kan. — No. 9 Hutchinson raced out to a 21-14 lead Wednesday.
Independence tied the game at 35 with eight minutes left in the first half.
Zavion McClendon knocked down four triples in the first half, but the Pirates kept pace. The game was tied 52-all at halftime.
Neither team gained an inch through the first five minutes of the second half as the Dragons and Pirates battled to a 62-62 tie.
Hutchinson scored the next six points to take a 68-62 advantage with 13:29 remaining.
The Dragons fell behind with five minutes left before a hustle-play by Tarese Morse led to a Jacquez Yow layup.
Yow then hit a three as Hutchinson took a five-point lead and held off Independence the last two minutes.
FINAL: Hutchinson 96 Independence 91
Yow finished with a double-double (17 points and 10 rebounds).
Angelo Stuart led Hutchinson with 20.
Four Dragons scored in double digits.
Rodney Munson and Ian Hardy each had double-doubles for Independence (Munson 14 points, 11 rebounds; Hardy 13 points, 10 rebounds).
The game was tied 14 times.
Hutchinson is 7-0 and will play Cloud County on the road Saturday.