Head coach Becky Carlson and her Iola girls basketball team left last Saturdays loss to Anderson County knowing they would soon get the opportunity for the last word.
Six days and three games later they did just that with a tough and gritty 64-59 win over a physical Lady Bulldogs team that gave the Fillies everything they could handle Thursday night.
You could see the confidence building as the week went, Carlson said. We came into the night on a high and I think we played a good game.
After two-and-a-half quarters of a close and physical tussle, the Iola girls felt like they had a little bit of breathing room after taking a 12-point lead with 1:05 to play in the third quarter.
However, the Lady Bulldogs buckled down to start chipping away and with a little under two minutes to play in the game, tied the game up at 54.
They just needed to settle down, Carlson said of her girls. We all of the sudden were in panic mode. Once we quieted down we were able to stop who we needed to stop and we made our free throws down the stretch.
Adding to the Fillies advantage was the fact that Anderson County was starting to fade. The Lady Bulldogs are a notoriously physical team. By games end they had 32 total fouls.
The Fillies were in the double-bonus halfway through the third quarter and got plenty of opportunities at the line.
After senior Madisyn Holloway nailed a three with 51.6 to play, it was free throws that allowed the Fillies to pull away once and for all to get the win.
We knocked them down when we needed to, Carlson said. Any shot we made tonight was huge.
Holloway was stellar throughout the game starting in the first half when Anderson County led by as much as eight. The senior guard led the comeback effort, leading the Fillies to a 31-all halftime tie. And when the Lady Bulldogs tied it back up late, it was Holloway who attacked the basket and helped get her team out of danger. Holloway ended the night with 19 points.
That girls has stepped up in these last three games and has kind of turned it on, Carlson said. Its her time. Shes always had that in her.
The win was the Fillies third-straight in the past three days and was the fourth game that theyve played in the past six days.
Iola now heads into the last week of the regular season with a trip to Wellsville and senior night versus Santa Fe Trail on Thursday seperating them from sub-state play. Both of those teams beat Iola in their previous meetings this season.
It sure is a lot easier than coming into things with our heads down, Carlson said. We could really show Wellsville a good game. Anything can happen.
