CAMANCHE — Statisticians keep track of a bevy of information, everything from fouls to free throws, but not jump balls. It's a good thing too because, at Tuesday’s Camanche and Northeast girls basketball game, someone would have run out of ink.

Thirty-two minutes and 37 fouls later Camanche emerged victorious in a 44-39 win over the Rebels. Seven of the 37 fouls were committed in the first three minutes of the game, giving insight into what was to come.

Indian's head coach Carl Small didn't seem surprised by the physicality of the contest.

“Whenever you have Camanche and Northeast playing each other you're going to see a very physical game because it's such an intense rivalry,” Small said.

The point spread between these two teams never made it past five in the first-half, and that five-point spread came in the closing seconds as Camanche scored nine unanswered points, thanks in part to junior Chelsea Moore who had seven points in the half, giving the Indians a 21-16 advantage.

The Indians and the Rebels combined for 16 fouls in the first half, with Northeast committing 10. Camanche also received a technical foul for illegal substitution late in the second quarter. Camanche junior Sarah Thorton capitalized on the Rebel's foul trouble by shooting three-of-six from the charity stripe, leading both teams at the half-way point.

Both benches came out re-energized and shooting in the second half, but Camanche sophomore Ashley Gonzalez took the top spot scoring nine of her 11 points in the last half of play.

The Indians saw their largest lead of the night (eight) early in the final period, but it was short-lived as the Rebels went on a 9-0 run putting them back within one point of Camanche with only three minutes to go in the game.

With less than two minutes remaining all five points the Indians scored came in the form of free-throws. Two from junior Ashtyn Dixon, one from senior Lindsey Nissen, one from Gonzalez and one from sophomore Tiana Bark.

Northeast junior Roberta Swanton also dropped in two from the free-throw line for the Rebels, but it wasn't enough to close the gap giving Camanche their first win of the season.

Both coaches agreed that the first few games of a season are instrumental in learning where mistakes are being made and what needs to be done to correct them.

“This wasn't the World Series tonight, we have two-and-a-half to three months to improve, one week at a time, little by little” Small added.

For Northeast coach Troy Hansen communication and defense will be key to his team's success this season.

“We sometimes get a little helter skelter and don't make good decisions and I think it showed tonight.”

While every game probably wont be as intense as the matchup between these two teams, Hansen is aware of the problems foul trouble can cause.

“When you lose your one and two guards to foul trouble and have to play other girls out of position to cover those spots it makes things real difficult.” Hansen added.

Northeast will take a week off before facing Preston next Tuesday, while coach Small and his Indians take on state-ranked CentralDeWitt in the River City Classic this weekend.

Most coaches would fret at the thought of having to play eighth-ranked Dewitt, but Small isn't having any of that.

“We having nothing to lose and we're extremely anxious to play that game.” Small said.