PARSONS — It was hard to picture a more perfect start for the Mustangs on Thursday night in Parsons.
Midway through the second quarter the Mustangs held a 23-21 lead, but it felt more lopsided than that.
Junior posts Ethan Holloway and Evan Sigg had combined to score 18 of the Mustangs’ 23 points, meanwhile, the Vikings were relying heavily on their outside shooting to stay close. You’d expect the shooting to be one of those that fades as the game goes on, but not on this night, as Parsons came back with a 62-61 victory.
“It is hard to guard that because they were six feet outside the arc sometimes,” Iola coach Jay Applegate said of Parsons outside shooting prowess.
After four free throws by seniors Isaiah Fawson and Ben Cooper gave the Mustangs a 30-23 lead at halftime, it appeared Iola could feed its big men in the second half and just grind out the win, but with the lead at 33-25 early in the third quarter, Sigg picked up his third foul and went to the bench for the remainder of the quarter.
Without both Iola big guys to worry about together, Parsons went on a 9-1 run to tie the game at 34-34.
The Mustangs answered by getting the ball to Holloway twice in a row and the junior cashed in with four points — a field goal and two free throws — and then Isaac Vink finished off a fastbreak with a layup and the Mustangs were back up six and looking comfortable.
Parsons star freshman Dariq Williams hit a deep three as the buzzer sounded at the end of the third to get the Vikings back within 40-37.
The fourth began with the two teams exchanging a pair of baskets, but Fawson hit a three followed by a Sigg basket to push the Mustang lead back to seven at 49-42.
Parsons sophomore Davonte’ Yates scored an ‘and-one’ play, but Fawson answered right back with another three.
Back-to-back Viking threes by Williams — with a Zach Cokely layup sandwiched in between for Iola — got the lead back down to three, but again the Mustangs had the answer with back-to-back interior scores from Cokely and Holloway to push the lead back to 58-51.
Unfortunately for Iola, Holloway’s basket would be the team’s final field goal.
Parsons scored on a layup, then Iola senior Braden Plumlee traveled against the Viking press.
Yates scored for Parsons and it was a three-point game with 1:28 remaining.
The Mustangs were unable to score on the next possession and a pair of Yates free throws made it 58-57.
Iola turned it over on the next possession, but Parsons missed a three and was forced to foul Iola senior Joey Zimmerman.
