Hicks, Dennis and Lane carry Mad Ants past Skyhawks

The REPORTER

The Indiana Mad Ants continued their three-game road trip Wednesday night in a rematch with the College Park Skyhawks. Two days after being thwarted by College Park, the Mad Ants got their revenge with a 119-113 victory on Wednesday.

RayJ Dennis, Steph Hicks and Ishmael Lane all recorded double-doubles in the victory.

The Mad Ants suited up just eight guys Wednesday with Dakota Mathias and Quenton Jackson being late additions to the list of inactives. Ishmael Lane scored the first points of the night for the Mad Ants. The big man scored while being guarded by former NBA center Tony Bradley. Lane used the spin move and scored with a shot off the glass.

Halfway through the first quarter, Cameron McGriff scored his first points of the night with a two-handed dunk. On the next possession, RayJ Dennis scored his second bucket with a running layup. Indiana trailed 24-18 with 5:30 to go in the quarter.

Despite a 22-8 run from College Park to start the game, Indiana continued to battle and went on a 16-4 run to make it a two-point game. In the final moments of the quarter, Stephan Hicks scored his first points of the night with a layup. 30 seconds later, De’Vion Harmon made a fastbreak layup. The Mad Ants trailed the Skyhawks 39-30 after one quarter of play. Lane led the club with eight points.

Hicks scored the first points of the second quarter. The veteran guard absorbed contact while making a close-range field goal. He made the free throw to convert the and-one. Two possessions later, Lane demonstrated his range with a corner three.

Trailing 60-43 with five minutes left in the half, Dennis added to the point total with a running layup. On the next possession, Noel knocked down a corner three. McGriff drew a foul next time down the floor and made the one-for-two free throw attempt.

In the final minutes of the second quarter, Lane drew a foul and converted the one-for-two free throw attempt. After a miss from College Park, McGriff was fouled on the opposite end. He knocked down the free throw worth two points. Next time down the floor, Keisei Tominaga was fouled. With the Skyhawks over the limit, Tominaga went to the line and made his one-for-two free throw.

With 45 seconds to go in the half, Tominaga added to his point total with a contested close-range field goal. As time was winding down, Hicks sank an off-balance three-pointer. Indiana trailed 65-61 heading into halftime. Lane and Noel led the Mad Ants with 13 points at the break.

Lane scored the first points of the second half. The big man drained a mid-range jumper to make it a two-point game. Two possessions later, he tied the game with a powerful two-handed dunk. Indiana began the half on an 11-2 run and had a 72-67 lead with eight minutes left in the quarter.

At the halfway point of the quarter the Mad Ants lead was 72-69, Noel knocked down a three-pointer to improve the lead. On the next possession, Dennis scored with a running layup.

Under three minutes to go in the quarter, the game was tied at 80. Dennis broke the tie with a contested layup. On the next possession, Tominaga drained a three-pointer. 30 seconds later, Dennis lined it up and knocked it down from long range. Next time down the floor, Tominaga sank his second three of the night. At the end of the third quarter, the Mad Ants had a 91-86 lead. Lane and Noel led all scorers with 19 points each heading into the fourth quarter.

Dennis scored the first points of the quarter for the Mad Ants. The two-way guard made a close-range floater giving him 20 points for the night.

Despite leading for the first half of the fourth quarter, College Park fought back to take the lead with 6:30 remaining. Noel cut into the deficit with a contested layup. He missed the free throw, but McGriff was there for the offensive rebound. On his putback attempt, he was fouled and made the one-for-two free throw. Dennis regained the lead for Indiana with a three-pointer on the next possession.

The Mad Ants had a 108-106 lead with 2:30 remaining in regulation. Hicks added to the lead with a baseline drive ending with a layup. On the next possession, Dennis drove the lane and was rewarded with a close-range field goal. The lead was 112-108 for Indiana with a minute to go.

In a two-point game, a turnover from Tominaga resulted in a foul a shooting foul on McGriff. Daeqwon Plowden tied the game with a pair of free throws. Dennis regained the lead with a contested fadeaway jumper. College Park called a timeout with 23.7 seconds left on the game clock.

On the next possession for College Park, Bradley drew a foul against Lane. The veteran center made one of his two free throws. For Indiana, Dennis was fouled just past the timeline. The Illinois native knocked down of his free throws to make it a 116-113 lead for Indiana with 16.2 seconds left.

College Park called their final timeout following Dennis’ free throws. Good defense from the Mad Ants resulted in a missed three for the Skyhawks. Hicks grabbed the rebound and was fouled in the backcourt. With 9.7 seconds to go, he made one of his two free throws to make it a 117-113 game. McGriff blocked a three-point attempt from College Park resulting in a rebound. Hicks grabbed the rebound, was fouled, and iced the game with two free throws.

The Indiana Mad Ants conclude their road trip tonight against the Birmingham Squadron (New Orleans Pelicans affiliate). Tip-off is scheduled for 8 p.m. The next home game for the Mad Ants will be Thursday, Feb. 20 against the Maine Celtics. Tip-off for that game is scheduled for 12:30 p.m.