INDEPENDENCE – Lisa McFadden, Lauren Toney and Hannah Endicott stepped the free-throw line in the final 30 seconds and delivered for Iola High’s Fillies.
In a tight non-league game with host Independence High’s Lady Bulldogs, Iola sank five free throws to secure a 36-31 victory Friday night. Toney hit both ends of a one-and-one with 28.5 seconds left to push Iola’s lead up to four points.
Endicott, who entered the game when Kelsey Adams fouled out with 1:32 left in the game, sank one of two with about 12 seconds remaining. And after a flurry of action, McFadden was at the line at the 2.4-second mark.
McFadden, who was the top scorer for Iola on the night, dropped in both tosses. McFadden finished with 13 points.
The victory evened the Fillies’ season record at 3-3. It snapped a two-game losing streak and sends the Fillies into Christmas break with a little bounce in their step.
“I’m very proud of those girls for hitting those free throws at the end. Those were big ones,” said Becky Carlson, Fillies’ head coach.
“We won it at the free-throw line. When Kelsey (Larson) fouled out, they pressed us. We were able to handle the press and score. We were able to force them to foul us and we hit the free throws.”
Kendra Taiclet came up with several big defensive rebounds down the stretch when Independence missed at the free-throw line.
In their new gym, the Lady Bulldogs were just 8 of 21 from the charity stripe. They came back from a six-point deficit at the line, hitting 4 of 7, combined with a basket by Beth Yakshaw.
The Fillies and Lady Bulldogs were tied 29-29 with 1:32 left in the game. McFadden pulled a defensive rebound, was fouled but missed the front end of the one-and-one.
Taiclet scored off a rebound to put Iola back in front for good. Independence failed to convert on double-bonus situations at the free-throw line.
Iola played almost the final three minutes without starting guard Kelsey Larson, who fouled out. Then Adams fouled out.
Neither team torched the nylons in the first half. Iola trailed 3-2 at the end of one quarter and 11-10 at halftime. It was a turnover-filled – Iola had 16 – half.
McFadden had six of the Fillies’ 10 first-half points. A basket by Libby Shay put Iola up 10-8 but Yakshaw hit a three-pointer to give Independence the one-point lead at the break.
“Lisa had an awesome game for us. She worked hard inside and led us in scoring plus had six rebounds,” Carlson said.
Taiclet, Larson and Toney each drained a trey in the third quarter as McFadden worked down low. In a back-and-forth game, the teams were knotted 22-all going into the fourth quarter.
“Lauren’s three was huge in to tie it up late in the third quarter,” Carlson said. “This was a team effort.”
Iola went on a 7-1 run in the first three minutes of the final eight to build a 29-23 lead. McFadden had a putback and Larson had a basket followed by a three.
Independence made a run after Larson fouled out using pressure.
Larson scored eight points, pulled down nine rebounds and had four steals. Taiclet ended up with eight rebounds, seven points and handed out four assists.
The Fillies cashed in 10 of 17 free throws on the night.
Yakshaw led the Lady Bulldogs with 10 points. Anna Hignight had eight points.
Iola played just one game of its first six of the season at home. The Fillies have one more away game when the come off Christmas break before playing at home. The are at Anderson County Jan. 3 then Girard comes to Iola Jan. 6
Independence won the junior varsity game 40-16. Emma Sigg scored eight points for Iola.
Independence also
won the freshman game 55-13. No individual scoring numbers were available.
Iola (2-8-12-14-36) (FG/3-pt): Larson 1/2-0-5-8, Taiclet 1/1-2-1-7, Toney 0/1-2-2-5, Shay 1-0-1-2, Endicott 0-1-1-1, McFadden 4-5-3-13, Adams 0-0-5-0. TOTALS: 7/4-10-18-36.
Independence (3-8-11-9-31) (FG/3-pt): Welch 1-3-2-5, Sutton 0-2-5-2, Ewing 2-1-2-5, Hignight 1/2-0-1-8, Yakshaw 3/1-1-5-10, Derrick 0-1-0-1. TOTALS: 7/3-8-15-31.
