Scouting reports on Columbus High’s Lady Titans said they never stop coming at a team.
Iola High’s Fillies faced a team just like them — no quit in them — in Tuesday’s home Southeast Kansas League game. The Lady Titans may be winless in the SEK, but they pushed the Fillies to the end.
The Fillies had the final run in the game. It was a four-point swing with baskets by senior Lisa McFadden and junior Libby Shay. McFadden put the Fillies in front 39-38 with 3:09 left in the game. Shay’s jump shot came about a minute later to give Iola a three-point cushion, 41-38.
Iola’s defense did the rest. A three-point lead was not safe against the Lady Titans as they tied the game twice with three-point field goals. Columbus hit four treys on the night.
Columbus missed two free throws and Iola pulled the rebound. Iola made a couple of steals and rebounds to seal the 41-38 win.
“We knew Columbus was a team that plays hard and never quits. That was what I was told and our girls were ready for it. I’m proud that, when it was close, we won the game,” said Becky Carlson, Fillies’ head coach.
“We dominated on the boards and that made a big difference.”
Senior point guard Kelsey Larson posted a double-double with 16 points and 16 rebounds for the Fillies. Larson also swiped six of the team’s 15 steals and had two assists. Kendra Taiclet, another senior, pulled down 11 rebounds.
Kelsey Adams, another senior, provided a spark for the Fillies in the second half. Iola trailed 26-21 at halftime. Adams had back-to-back perimeter shots to make it 28-25 with 4:41 left in the third quarter.
During this time, the Fillies turned up their defensive intensity. Down 29-25, Larson drilled a three-pointer, stole the basketball and had a putback basket. She was fouled on the play and sank the free throw to give Iola a 31-29 lead.
Adams connected again and Larson went one of two from the free-throw line to extend Iola’s advantage to 34-29. But Iola turned the ball over late in the period and Columbus’ Katrina Froebe converted it into a field goal before the buzzer.
Haley Evans drained her third three of the game to open the fourth quarter and tie the game at 34-34. A minute later, Adams completed a three-point play for Iola then the Lady Titans got back-to-back baskets from Marissa Thompson and Haley Evans to take the lead.
Then came the field goals by McFadden and Shay, both of whom came off Iola’s bench.
“Kelsey Adams had a great game tonight and hit key baskets for us,” Carlson said. Adams also had four rebounds, three steals and two assists.
Iola jumped out to a 10-1 lead and was up 17-10 at the end of the first quarter. Taiclet scored all eight of her points in the period. Columbus turned things around on a 9-0 run to gain a 19-17 lead.
