BURLINGTON — Levi Ashmore found a sweet spot on the Burlington High School basketball court Friday night. Iola High’s guard drained two three-pointers from the same spot in a 15-second span.
Those treys pushed a two-point game to an eight-point margin and Iola never trailed. The fourth-seeded Mustangs knocked off the top-seeded Sabetha High Bluejays 48-39 in semifinal action.
Iola’s boys advance to the championship game of the Burlington High Invitational for the first time. Iola has played in the tournament since 2006.
“This was a great win for our kids. They played with a lot of confidence tonight. They appreciate where we’ve come from and how far we’ve come as a team,” said Bill Peeper, Mustang head coach.
“It was one year ago tonight that we got our only win last year. So to see how well these kids have worked to get where we are tonight.”
Where are the Mustangs?
They are in the championship game of the 19th Annual Burlington Invitational this afternoon. The Mustangs (7-4) will challenge five-time defending champion Topeka-Hayden High’s Wildcats at 4:45 in the BHS gym.
Hayden, ranked fifth in Class 4A, defeated host Burlington 77-53 Friday night.
It was the guard play by Ashmore and Clint Heffern that provided the spark for the Mustangs Friday night. Ashmore and Heffern had drives to the basket for Iola’s first four points. Christian Kauth netted a three-pointer that put Iola up 7-4 at the 3:22 mark of the first quarter.
Iola never relinquished the lead after that. The Mustangs led 9-6 at the end of the first period.
Sabetha’s Kyle Stallbaumer hit a jumper to cut Iola’s lead to one with 6:50 left in the second quarter. Heffern drilled a three-pointer. Troy Matson had two baskets for the Bluejays but in between was a bucket by Iola’s Braden Larson.
It was 14-12 when Ashmore netted his two treys. Jarred Latta connected putting Iola up 22-12 with eight seconds on the clock.
The Bluejays’ Dennis Enneking hit a three at the buzzer. Iola controlled a22-15 halftime margin.
“We shot the ball well from the field and from the line,” Peeper said. “Our kids were patient on offense without being told tonight.
“It’s nice to hear those key works — patient, focus, staying with it — coming from your players to teammates when they come to the bench.”
