Twin Lakes halts Jeff to take fifth place

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Twin Lakes coach Brad Bowsman grew a preseason beard and kept it for two games, both losses, before deciding to shave.

Since shaving his beard following Monday's loss to West Lafayette in the opening round of the J&C Hoops Classic, the Indians have won twice, including Saturday's fifth-place game over Lafayette Jeff 57-49.

"I've never coached with one and I've never had a season that started 0-2, so I am like, I am getting rid of it and maybe it will change some things," Bowsman said. "It probably had nothing to do with it. I think our girls just starting to play a little bit better and figure out their roles out on the court."

Twin Lakes senior Coryn Tirpak provided 17 points and 11 rebounds, collecting a double-double in all three J&C Hoops Classic games during which she averaged 16.3 points and 12.3 rebounds.

"I think these two games is the turning point of playing together and finally gelling together," Tirpak said. "I think we are all getting used to playing with each other now."

Twin Lakes (2-2) took a 37-27 lead into the fourth quarter, but the Bronchos marched back behind the shooting of Erin West.

West scored a team-high 16 points and made 4 of 7 3-pointers. Her trey with 4:31 left got the Bronchos within five. Krissy Bruce's layup closed the gap to 44-41.

But Jeff got no closer. Other than West's 4 of 7 performance, Jeff hit just 2 of 23 3-pointers.

"We just don't shoot well enough to make comebacks," said Bronchos coach Geoff Salmon, whose team made 16 of 55 field goals. "We've got to be in the game and turn people over and we couldn't get them turned over tonight, to their credit."

Twin Lakes sealed the game with stellar free throw shooting. Morgan Gutwein set a J&C Hoops Classic record by making all 12 of her free throw attempts. The previous best mark was a 10-for-10 performance by Benton Central's Caitlyn Tolen and Twin Lakes graduate Betsy Adams.

Gutwein finished with 15 points, and the Indians made 26 of 35 free throws.

"We struggled in the first half and it was nice to see the girls come back and put those down because if we struggle here, it may be a different outcome possibly," Bowsman said.

Bruce joined West in double figures with 12 points for the Bronchos (1-2). Five Indians scored at least seven points. Chloe McAchren and freshman Laurhen Pickett had eight apiece and Courtney Bowsman had seven on 7 of 8 shooting from the foul line. Pickett also had seven rebounds, and Renae Cotner added eight boards.

"I thought we did really well in that we are getting better as a team," Courtney Bowsman said. "We're still young so we're still going to get better."