IMS Pony squads win nailbiters

INDEPENDENCE — Iola Middle School’s basketball teams picked up a pair of narrow road victories Tuesday.
The seventh-grade A team led host Independence, 8-2, after one quarter, and held on from there in a 32-31 victory.
On the eighth-grade B team contest, Iola’s Matt Miller hit a putback for the game-winner in a 19-17 triumph.
In other action Monday, Iola’s eighth-grade A team fell to Independence, 27-21, while the seventh-grade B team prevailed, 18-11.
The Ponies will play Thursday in front of the home crowd for the first time this season when they host Royster Middle School of Chanute, starting at 3:30 p.m.

IOLA’S seventh-grade A team extended its lead over Independence to 19-9 by halftime before Independence roared back in the second half. Independence outscored Iola 9-3 in the third quarter and 13-10 in the fourth. Still, the Ponies made the plays necessary at the end.
“A very good win for these kids,” Iola head coach Marty Taylor said. “We really played well in the first half and were able to finish well.”
Tayton Driskel led the way with 12 points, followed by Kane Rogers with nine and Hunter Preston with four. Derek Bycroft and Blake Ashmore both scored three. Cole Regehr had one.
“Kane did a good job of getting the ball to the basket tonight,” Taylor said.
Preston and Matt Karr both had eight points for the seventh-grade B team in victory. Hunter Baughn added two.

THE PONY eighth-grade A team trailed 11-3 after one quarter before cutting the gap to 13-11 by halftime. But another slow start in the third quarter put Independence on top, 22-13.
“Just not the kind of effort I expect from these kids,” Taylor said. “Our court awareness has got to get better.”
Matt Komma paced Iola with seven points and seven rebounds. Ethan Holloway followed with six points and nine boards. Isaac Vink scored four, while Evan Sigg and Nick Vaughn both had two. Sigg also had two rebounds.
Miller’s putback in the eighth-grade B team contest gave him a team-high six points. Bryce Andres scored four, while Vaughn scored three. Zach Cokely and Caden Knavel both had two points. William Winner and Ethan Tavarez both had one.