No. 11 Indianola too much for Newton girls

Sophia Reynolds scored 16 points and the Newton girls basketball team only committed 11 turnovers, but a tough shooting night and a slow start plagued the Cardinals against Class 4A No. 11 Indianola on Friday.

Newton shot just 24 percent from the floor and attempted only four free throws during a 72-28 home loss in Little Hawkeye Conference play.

“They were more scrappy and our energy and intensity wasn’t there,” Newton head girls basketball coach Eric Vander Velden said. “Our defense wasn’t there in the second half and we just couldn’t make shots.”

Indianola led 20-7 after one quarter and outscored Newton 24-9 in the third and 16-5 in the fourth.

The Cardinals (3-10 overall, 1-7 in the LHC) were 3-of-17 from within a few feet of the basket and 4-of-22 from inside the paint. They also made only 2-of-13 from 3-point range and were 2-of-4 from the free-throw line.

Reynolds posted 16 points, two rebounds, three assists and two steals and Cadie Horn added seven points, six rebounds and two blocks.

Audrey Rausch scored three points, Alex Garvis swiped three steals and Alex Riney grabbed three boards.

“Someone else has to step up besides Sophia,” Vander Velden said. “The turnovers were down, which was a positive. We just have to put the ball in the hoop.”

Indianola (7-7, 5-3) scored a season-high 73 points and 40 of those came from inside the lane.