Indianola’s Lauren Blake crossed the 1,000 career point mark as the Indianola girls basketball team defeated Pella Christian 59-30 Friday evening, with the boys also picking up a win against the Eagles 57-50 as heard live on KNIAKRLS.com.

Neither the Indians boys or girls basketball teams started off well against the Eagles but both teams finished strong, as the girls found themselves in a dogfight early with a tough Pella Christian zone defense that led to Indianola trailing 13-9 after the first. Early in the second quarter, Blake hit a three point shot that ignited the Indians and put her over the career mark.

The Indians trailed 18-14 and went on a 10-0 run to lead 24-18 at halftime. The second half was all Indianola, as they forced multiple turnovers off the press as Blake went wild, scoring 32 points overall and leading the Indians on a 44-12 run to secure the win. After the game was over, Blake was joined by the other four Indianola girls basketball athletes to cross 1,000 career points, including mom Abbie Blake, assistant coach Jamie Busby, Madie Sorensen, and Grace Berg in a postgame ceremony. Blake said that was a dream moment come true.

“Those are four players I’ve looked up to my whole life. Being out there with coach Busby and my mom, that’s awesome. Two people I’ve been with every day and are some of my biggest role models, and Grace and Madie I watched ever since I was little, growing up and playing I always wanted to be like them so just to be out there was crazy and surreal. I wouldn’t want to be out there with anyone else, it was really fun.”

Blake had 32 points to lead the Indians, while Emily Naughton had 14 points.

The Indians boys also had struggles getting going early, being held scoreless for the first four minutes of the game and trailed 5-0 until Brayden Drea got the scoring started and led the Indians on a run to lead 15-10 at the end of the first and 31-21 at the halftime break. Indianola continued to take advantage of Pella Christian foul trouble in the second half, but had to survive a late surge only leading 41-39 at the end of the third. Two points would be as close as the Eagles got the rest of the contest however, as Drea scored eight fourth quarter points to help put the game away, ending the game with 19 to lead the squad.

The girls improve to 4-1 on the season, the boys to 2-1, and both teams will match up with Ankeny Monday.

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