By Marissa VanWingen
There were several similarities to the first time Ellsworth Community College and Iowa Central Community College met on the basketball court, including the same final score.
The Tritons, who are receiving votes in the NJCAA polls, won by a 64-57 final. Back in early January inside Dittmer Gymnasium, that was the same tally Iowa Central won by.
The two rivals were even after the first 10 minutes of play with the largest spread a four-point Triton lead (13-9). The Panthers came back and evened the score at 15-15 on an Asia Beale layup. Yaiza Soriano Balaguer gave ECC their first lead of the game at 17-15 early in the second stanza. The Panthers remained on top until Iowa Central regained the advantage at 25-23 and built a seven-point lead with four minutes left before the break. The visitors cut the difference to one (33-32) and on a Balaguer layup took a one point lead into the half.
ECC came out and scored the first seven points of the third quarter to extend their lead to 41-33 before the hosts went on a run of their own. The Tritons knotted the score at 43-all, but that was answered by a pair of free throws and a Claudia Sanz Dorange basket as the Panthers led 47-46 heading into the final 10 minutes.
The Panthers (8-12, 4-10) held the edge through the first eight minutes of the fourth quarter. The largest advantage being 55-51 on a triple from Dorange. An ECC turnover resulted in a fast break and made Triton layup to take the 58-57 lead.
That's when the Panthers went cold offensively and went 0-4 from the floor and Iowa Central scored the final 11-points of the game to hold on for the victory.
Two ECC players were in double figures, led by Balaguer with 21 points and nine rebounds. Inma Martinez added 10 points for the visitors.
For more on ECC Athletics, visit https://www.timescitizen.com/sports/ecc/
ICCAC Basketball
Wednesday at Fort Dodge
ECC: 15| 19| 18| 10 – 57
ICCC: 15| 18| 13| 18 – 64
ECC Scoring: Yaiza Soriano Balaguer 6 9-9 21; Inma Martinez 2 5-5 10; Addy Dennis 3 0-0 7; Claudia Sanz Dorange 3 0-0 7; Asia Beale 2 2-4 6; Sare Celaya Urrutia 1 2-2 4; Sofia Berraquero Beltran 1 0-0 2.