BURLINGTON — Whenever a team loses its point guard for any stretch of time, there is an adjustment period as everyone’s roles change slightly to make up for the void.
When that point guard has the ball in her hands as much and is counted on to generate as much of the offensive firepower as Iola senior Sydney Wade is, that adjustment period can be even more harsh.
Friday’s 30-18 loss to a previously winless Rock Creek team was certainly a blow for the Fillies, but luckily for Iola it is just one game that does not count in the league standings and by the time the end of the season rolls around will just be a blip on the radar if this senior-laden squad can accomplish the other goals that it has set for itself.
From the beginning, it was clear that the Fillies were having some hiccups figuring out their offense without Wade and that was just magnified when Rock Creek coach Adam Plummer — who had obviously done his scouting and realized that Iola’s primary ball-handler was sidelined — turned up the pressure, by throwing a full-court press at Iola.
Normally, this would not be an issue and the Fillies could pass the ball around until Wade would be able to get the ball and break the pressure or if they couldn’t get it to Wade, Colbi Riley is an excellent secondary ball-handler and would be able to break it with the defense’s attention on Wade.
On Friday, that whole dynamic was shifted, Riley was thrust into the position of lead guard and players around her — who are normally just asked to pass in the press-break — were counted on to dribble and make plays.
“It is a different mentality (for Colbi),” Iola coach Becky Carlson said. “She will figure it out and we will get better and it will make us a better team.”
The whole situation threw the entire offense out of whack. Turnovers began to crop up as even when the Fillies broke the press, they began to rush and try too hard to make the Mustangs pay for that aggression.
“It really frustrated us,” Carlson said of the Rock Creek pressure. “I don’t know what else to say.”
Carlson used her bench more than she has in recent week’s as it was a committee-approach to fill Wade’s shoes.
Junior Chloe Gardner was elevated from her bench role to the starting two-guard spot with Riley sliding over to the point.
Sophomore Madisyn Holloway saw a big spike in her minutes.
Sophomore Piper Moore stepped up and provided minutes off the bench as well in an attempt to get more players with ball-handling experience onto the court.
All three guards played well for spurts and showed that they have valuable skill-sets to bring to the table to complement a full-strength Fillies’ team, but no matter what it was clear: The Fillies’ were missing their alpha-dog.
“I saw a lot of effort for them,” Carlson said. “They all put out a lot of effort. There wasn’t anyone who went in that didn’t do a good job.”
The Fillies’ hung in there with the Mustangs the entire first half and a Toni Macha basket got Iola within 14-8 at the end of the first half.
