Teutons Rally Past Bulldogs Late in HOA Finale

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I traveled to Inman to catch the Teutons senior night against the visiting Bennington Bulldogs. Both teams' Heart of America League finale was also the final regular season game of the season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>For most of the night the Bulldogs led. Bennington even threatened to put the Teutons away a couple times after a few runs that pushed their lead to near ten points. Domination of the boards on both ends and interior scoring in the first half caused Inman all kinds of problems. Cleaning things up inside in the second half and Bulldog failure to attack gaps in Teuton zones were the difference. The Teutons trailed by five after each of the first three quarters. Once Inman finally seized the lead with just over 4 minutes to go in the contest the team never looked back, winning 52-46.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In terms of sub-state impacts the result held little meaning for Inman as they were already locked into the #5 seed in the Marion sub-state. With Berean Academy winning tonight Inman will visit Chase County in a tough first round game against a team with one of the finest young centers around. With the loss Bennington is expected to end their season in a tie for third place in the Wabaunsee sub-state with the host team and Mission Valley. The Chargers beat Mission Valley a few weeks back by 25 and should lock up the #3 seed. And regardless of which team hosts the other the Bulldogs will face Mission Valley in a #4 v #5 match-up. Now let's look at impact players from tonight's game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Bennington</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='855409' first='Rori' last='Miles'], 5'5", PG, 2025 - For most of the game she was the best player on the floor for either team and lead all scorers with 16 points. She was the best ball handler on the floor and scored from all three levels. She got to the rim off the bounce and scored off floaters, short jumpers, and layups with each hand. Inman did not have a guard who could defend her one-on-one. The Teutons also did not have a guard who could beat Bennington's top guard defenders, including Miles, off the bounce either. Miles also collected 6 rebounds and three steals with only a single turnover.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Ava Lawson</strong>, 5'11", C, 2024 - Lawson has a great build that she used to take up space on post-ups and she did a great job of using her hands to call for the ball where she wanted to catch it. She racked up 13 points on the night, most scored in the first half against poor interior Teuton defense. Inman switched from defending her from behind to denying over the top in the second half. And while Lawson did a great job of sealing the over-the-top defender on the inside the Bulldog guards failed to take advantage of her work. Lawson collected 4 blocked shots. Only being charged for a single foul on the night is evidence of her ability to block shots without fouling.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Jordan Bartlett</strong>, 5'4", SF, 2026 - Bartlett had a terrific night defending on the interior, rebounding, and passing the ball. Registering 7 points on the night, including going 3/4 from the line, she gathered 9 rebounds including 4 offensive. She also dished out 3 assists to only 1 turnover and gathered a pair of steals. She had a knack for being in the right place at the right time inside. And with the ball her interior passing to gather assists was stellar. While she has a slightish Bartlett smartly defended guards and posts smartly and took care of the ball against Inman pressure. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading {"level":3} --> <h3 class="wp-block-heading">Inman</h3> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Taelyn Friesen</strong>, 5'5", SG, 2024 - Friesen is a deadly spot up shooter. Her 11 points on the night primarily came off three balls. Friesen was also an important ball handler, able to take it up the floor with speed. She also showed nice touch on a quick pull-up mid-range jumper. Friesen took care of the ball well and found success in the second half finding teammates for scores. She dished out three assists with only 1 turnover and collected 1 steal. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='719107' first='Kambrey' last='Woods'], 5'8", PF, 2024 - Early on Woods was the best player for the Teutons. Without her first half play the Teutons would have faced double-digit deficits. Drawing fouls and getting to the line she went 4/4 and scored an early bucket. Solidly built Woods disrupted Bulldog looks inside to every player she guarded. When Bennington's Ava Lawson went to work inside Woods was not the player she had success with. She did not fill the stat book but Woods has to be on the floor for the Teutons to succeed.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='621258' first='Suttyn' last='Harris'], 5'11", SF, 2026 - Harris SHOULD have been the best player on the floor as she was easily the most talented player for either team. But not until moments in the second half was she in positions and situations that enabled her to show what she can do...which is score. She had 4 buckets on the night and her second half scores were beauties. One was a slick whirl off the bounce on the right side of the lane. Another was an athletic, quick, rising take on the left side. Her free throw shooting helped put the game away late. Overall though her 11 points were generally quietly accrued. Harris occasionally brought the ball up against on-ball pressure and showed the handles to do so. Where she got into trouble was when she picked the ball up and was forced to find a teammate trying to get open. Her 4 turnovers all came in those situations. Maintaining her dribble or working near the lane she picked up three assists. She also gathered 3 steals and a blocked shot. Harris is among the top talents in the class statewide who has to be turned loose and not camped out on the perimeter. Not forcing opponents to defend her is doing them a huge favor. There is no reason why she shouldn't be hanging 15-20 points, 3-4 assists, and 8 rebounds on opponents night-in, night-out.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->