Free throw shooting made a difference here Tuesday as Iola High’s Mustangs and the Anderson County High Bulldogs opened the second semester of basketball.
Both teams toed the line and put up 21 attempts. The Bulldogs hit 10 while the Mustangs sank seven.
The big factor was the Bulldogs dropped in 7 of 12 free throw tosses in the final 2:20 of the game. That was enough to stave off the Mustangs, who had cut the margin to two, 36-34.
Anderson County walked out with a 45-40 win. Iola was unable to crack the win column and goes to Girard Friday with a 0-7 mark.
“There is a fine line between teams that win games and teams that don’t. Unfortunately, we’re on the bottom side of that line right now,” said Bill Peeper, Mustang head coach.
Iola trailed Anderson County 9-3 at the end of the first quarter. It was 14-9 when Jarred Latta hit a three-point field goal for the Mustangs.
Levi Ashmore had a layup to tie the game at 14-14 with 1:35 left in the second quarter. The Bulldogs held a 16-15 halftime lead as the Mustangs went 2 of 8 from the free-throw line in the first half.
Anderson County (2-4) opened the third quarter on back-to-back baskets from Eric Tastove.
The Mustangs appeared to have come up with the solution, scoring eight unanswered points. They got baskets from Charles Apt and Christian Kauth to start the run.
A jumper by Corey Taylor gave Iola its first lead, 21-20, since the opening basket of the game. A steal and a layup by Jerrik Sigg made it 23-20 with 3:33 left in the period.
Anderson County turned the ball over but Iola wasn’t able to take advantage. The Bulldogs rattled off 11 points, including a free throw from a technical on Peeper, to close out the third quarter.
A three-pointer by Ashmore made the difference 34-28 at the 4:11 mark. And with 3:25 on the clock, Kauth drew the fifth foul on Tastove, who led all scorers with 14 points for the Bulldogs.
Kauth hit one of two free throws but at the other end Jack Rickabaugh had a putback for the Bulldogs. Kauth again sank one of two tosses at the line then Sigg had a three-point play that made it 36-33 with 2:35 left.
Anderson County turned the ball over on the inbounds play. Ashmore dropped in one of two free throws making it 36-34.
Free throws and an offensive rebound basket provided the Bulldogs with all they needed in the final two minutes of play.
“We have not developed ourselves into a good free throw shooting and rebounding team,” Peeper said.
Peeper pointed to only 14 rebounds for the Mustangs as a factor. He said teams don’t win many games with just 14 rebounds.
Latta fired in 10 points and had two assists for Iola. Larson had seven rebounds, two steals and two blocked shots.
Sigg had nine points, four rebounds and two steals. Kauth and Apt each had two steals.
Iola shot 50 percent, 15 of 30, from the field. Iola had 16 turnovers.
The Mustangs travel to Girard, which lost 55-26 to Chanute Tuesday, on Friday. The Trojans are 0-6.
Iola won the junior varsity game Tuesday beating Anderson County 42-37. Mikal Bossell and Tyler Clubine each had eight points for Iola.
Iola’s freshmen lost their first game of the season, 44-43, to Anderson County. Tyler Powelson had 14 points for the Mustangs, who were 3 of 17 from the free-throw line.
Iola (3-12-8-17—40) (FG/3-pt): Heffern 0-0-3-0, Ashmore 1/1-1-0-6, J. Latta 2/2-0-2-10, Sigg 3-3-5-9, Taylor 1-0-2-2, Larson 1-0-1-2, C. Kauth 1-2-2-4, Apt 3-1-3-7. TOTALS: 12/3-7-18-40.
Anderson County (9-7-15-14—45) (FG/3-pt): Sinclair 2-0-5-4, Wittry 0-0-4-0, Yoder 1-2-2-4, Mudd 3-0-3-6, Benton 2-3-4-7, Rickabaugh 2/1-3-0-10, Tastove 6-2-5-14. TOTALS: 16/1-10-23-45.
Bulldogs hold off Mustangs
