Mustangs drop SEK game to LCHS

“There’s no quit in our guys. We’re giving ourselves chances to be in games,” said Bill Peeper, Iola High Mustang head coach.
“The frustration is different now because we’re playing better basketball but can’t get a win.”
Iola’s Mustangs dropped a 54-42 decision to visiting Labette County High’s Grizzlies Tuesday night.
For the second night in a row, the Mustangs saw an opponent make a small scoring surge at the beginning of a quarter. It was just enough to gain the advantage for good.
Monday night it was Chanute with a 7-0 run in the fourth. Labette County came out and expanded its 21-20 halftime lead with an 8-0 run.
“We were down by 14 points late in the third quarter and came back to  within six at the end of it. We just can’t get over the hump,” Peeper said. Iola has lost nine straight games.
The Mustangs are 0-7 in Southeast Kansas League play and 1-18 overall. They go to Independence Thursday to finish the regular season and league play.
A five-point outburst by Iola’s lone senior Charles Apt had Iola up 5-4 on senior night. Unfortunately, the Grizzlies’ 6-5 senior Christian Hosey dominated inside all night, scoring seven of his game high 24 points in the first quarter to push his team to a 17-10 lead.
Levi Ashmore nailed a three-pointer to open the second quarter for Iola. Braden Larson and Apt had back-to-back baskets to tie the game, 17-17, at the 3:02 mar.
A three-point play by Larson with 38 seconds left put the Mustangs up 20-19. Labette County turned the ball over but Iola’s long shot failed and the rebound went to the Grizzlies. Hosey scored with less than a second left giving Labette County a 21-20 lead.
Labette County jumped out to a 29-20 advantage before Christian Kauth sank two free throws for Iola with 3:16 left in the third quarter. The Grizzlies led 36-22.
Devon Conner sparked a late run by the Mustangs with a basket. Jarred Latta hit a three-pointer. Conner sank two free throws then Ashmore had back-to-back baskets. Iola trailed 39-33 going into the fourth quarter.
Hosey tossed in 10 points as the Grizzlies held off the Mustangs in a 15-9 run in the fourth quarter.
Apt scored nine points to lead Iola. Larson and Jerrik Sigg each had five rebounds. Clint Heffern had two steals and four assists and Ashmore had two steals.
Keaton Turner added 10 points for the Grizzlies.
Labette County won the junior varsity game 62-31 as Conner had 11 points for Iola. The freshman game went to Labette County 65-37 as Tyler Powelson scored 13 for Iola.
Iola (10-10-13-9—42) (FG/3-pt): Heffern 0-1-3-1, Ashmore 2/1-0-1-7, Conner 1-2-0-4, J. Latta 1/1-1-2-6, Sigg 1-4-4-6, Larson 3-1-2-7, C. Kauth 0-2-1-2, Apt 3/1-0-2-9. TOTALS: 11/3-11-15-42.
Labette County (17-4-18-15—54) (FG/3-pt): Turner 0-0-1-0, Traxson 3-0-3-6, Smith 1-0-3-2, Nash 3-3-2-9, Hosey 11-2-2-24,Thompson 0-0-1-0, Dodworth 0/1-0-1-3. TOTALS: 21/2-6-14-54.