Buzzer-beaters fill IMS gymnasium

Iola Middle School’s basketball teams kept the fans on the edge of their seats from beginning to end Monday evening.
The Ponies’ Ben Cooper put a fitting end to the festivities when he stole a Parsons inbound pass late in overtime. His driving lay up with 15 seconds left on the clock were the deciding points in a 51-49 victory in the eighth-grade A team contest.
“Just about as exciting of a middle school game as you’re going to get,” Iola coach Marty Taylor said. “These kids worked their tails off tonight.”
The victory capped a night of buzzer-beaters and late-game heroics for both schools.
The eighth-graders were leading 46-43 when Parsons’ Kyle Hurley drained a 3-pointer at the buzzer to force overtime.
Meanwhile, Iola’s seventh-grade A team lost a 36-35 heart-breaker after giving up a late seven-point lead.
Parsons battled back from a 34-27 deficit in the final two minutes of regulation to tie the score.
Iola’s Evan Sigg drained 1 of 2 free throws with 48 seconds left to give the Ponies a 35-34 lead, but T.J. Mayhue of Parsons drained a pair of free throws with 25 seconds on the clock to give the Vikings a 36-35 advantage.
Iola came up empty on two subsequent possessions as time ran out.
Even the B teams had nail-biters.
Iola seventh-grader Reece Kimball drained a 3-pointer with 30 seconds left to tie the score, 15-15, before the Vikings’ Payton Pilkington hit a baseline jumper at the buzzer to give Parsons a 17-15 victory.
The only lop-sided affair was Iola’s B team victory, 45-16.

THE EIGHTH-GRADE A team contest was tightly fought from beginning to end.
Parsons led 9-8 after one quarter before the Ponies rebounded to lead 20-18 at the break and 30-27 after three quarters.
“When things got a little crazy on the floor, our kids stayed calm and played their game,” Taylor said.
Braden Plumlee and Chase Regehr were Iola’s offensive mainstays. Plumlee had 19 points and 12 rebounds, while Regehr had 18 points and 16 boards. Ben Cooper chipped in with seven points, two rebounds and six assists. Joey Zimmerman added five points. Zane Beasley had two.
“Chase and Braden were outsized all night long, but hung tough and really had great games,” Taylor said. “Joey and Zane came off the bench and really played well.”
The win lifts the eighth-grade A team to 6-4 on the season.

THE SEVENTH-GRADE A team wasn’t as fortunate in dropping their first game of 2013. Iola led 8-6 after one quarter before Parsons took at 15-14 halftime lead. The Ponies looked to have control with a 13-5 third-quarter run.
“We let them speed us up tonight, and it cost us with too many silly turnovers,” Taylor said. “These kids have come so far over the past seven weeks. They will learn from this game and be the better for it.”
Evan Sigg led the way with 11 points and 10 rebounds. Ethan Holloway added eight points and 11 boards. Isaac Vink scored five.
The loss drops the seventh-graders to 9-1 on the season.

IN THE eighth-grade B action, Iola was led by Joey Zimmerman with 10 points, Beasley, Rhett Allen and Mason Ingle with eight apiece, Gage Cleaver with seven and Mason Ingle with four.
In the seventh-grade B game, Bryce Andrews had eight, Kimball had three and Dalton Ryherd and Alex Morrison scored two each.
Iola hosts Coffeyville Thursday.