GARNETT A challenging game after a challenging week awaited the Iola girls on Saturday.
After having two straight games postponed due to weather, the Fillies hit the court for a rare weekend game on Saturday at Anderson County. What they found was physical play, fouls aplenty and a sixth-straight loss, 55-47.
The fouls, all 50 of them, contributed to an abnormally long game. The Fillies tipped off at 1 p.m. and around 2:40 p.m. the game had come to a close.
Despite the slog, head coach Becky Carlson thought the closely called affair played right into her teams hand.
I appreciated the refs and how they called the game because really, they were very physical, Carlson said. I think it wouldve helped us if we wouldve been able to knock down our free throws.
The team shot 35 free throws in total and only hit 21 of them.
The Fillies came into the game without senior forward Piper Moore who has proven this year that she thrives in a more physical game. They also lost fellow senior Ellie Carson early in the first half after two quick fouls in the first quarter forced her to sit until the very end of the second quarter.
The way they were calling the game if you have someone with two fouls you have to keep them out, Carlson said. You never know when that third one is going to come and you cant get caught unaware.
With Carson out and Moore unavailable, the scoring load fell on another senior starter, Madisyn Holloway who ended the night as Iolas only double-figure scorer with 15. No one else managed to put up more than six.
Weve got to have another scorer, Carlson said. And its not that we dont try. I dont see us shooting bad shots. They just werent going in.
Iola trailed by 12 at half and 10 after the third quarter. With two minutes to play, the Fillies had cut the lead to five but despite multiple open looks in the final several possessions, Iola was unable to get any closer.
The Fillies have another unusual challenge ahead of them this week, hosting three-straight home games.
Theyll open with Osawatomie on Tuesday (a team they beat at their place), Prairie View on Wednesday (ditto) and the same Anderson County team they played on Saturday.
Carlson and her team hope that these opportunites will turn into some long-needed wins for a team whos lost five of the last six games by less than 10 points.
Im excited and Im sure the girls are too if nothing else because of the fact that well have three games in a row instead of three practices, Carlson said. Its a big opportunity for us.
