RICHMOND — Iola High School’s boy’s basketball played against Heritage Christian school of Topeka Monday night. IHS lost 61-40.
Despite keeping the game close in the first quarter, the Mustangs slowly faded away in their first-round game of the Ike Cearfoss tournament at Central Heights in Richmond.
IHS started physically, diving for baskets and attacking the lane. Tyler Boeken led the offensive charge for the Mustangs. Boeken pulled up from the free-throw line and drained shots. Boeken scored seven of IHS’ nine points in the first quarter. Momentum felt like it was shifting in IHS’ favor when Sam Fager scored a bucket in transition towards the end of the quarter. IHS trailed 12-9 at the end of the quarter.
In the second quarter, Mac Leonard stepped up and led the offense after hitting the Mustangs’ first three-pointer of the night to open the quarter.
Heritage went on a run midway through the second quarter, out-rebounding IHS and turning those rebounds into points. The run allowed Heritage to open its lead a little wider. Towards the end of the half, Brett Morrison started to come alive offensively and scored a layup off a fast break to end the Heritage run. Heritage mounted another short run to end the half up 33-24.The third quarter is when the game fell apart for IHS. Coming out of halftime, the Mustangs turned the ball over and the shooters went cold. Heritage’s shooters stayed hot and drained shots left and right to expand its lead. Boeken scored toward the end of the quarter to end Heritage’s run, but IHS trailed 50-32 at the end of the quarter.
Iola’s Landon Weide dribbles while looking for a pass
Photo by Reese Becker / Iola Register
Iola’s Landon Weide prepares to inbound a ball
Photo by Reese Becker / Iola Register
Iola’s Tyler Boeken sets up to play defense
Photo by Reese Becker / Iola Register
Iola’s Brett Morrison prepares to inbound a ball
Photo by Reese Becker / Iola Register
Iola’s Cooper Riley is introduced.
Photo by Reese Becker / Iola Register
Iola’s Landon Weide is introduced
Photo by Reese Becker / Iola Register
Shooting issues continued for IHS in the fourth quarter and they began to foul Heritage. It seemed like every time Heritage was at the line, they were making free throws.
Towards the middle of the fourth quarter, IHS head coach Luke Bycroft put his younger players in to finish out the game, and Heritage kept scoring.
“We had some good stretches tonight,” Bycroft said. “At times we got caught up in the circumstances of the game and forgot what our jobs were. We need to have a little more confidence and aggressiveness on the offensive end of the floor. Our focus was off at times and we had too many turnovers.”
It is unclear when IHS will play again as the bracket works itself out.
The IHS boys junior varsity lost to Heritage 64-44. Japheth Rutoh led IHS with seven points. Travis Wanker and Cody Wille, and Eli Adams each scored six points. Mac Leonard scored four points. Landon Weide, Ashton Hesse, and Lucas Maier each scored two points.
Iola (9-15-8-8—40) (FG/3pt): Fager 4-1-1-9 Riley 2-2-2-6 Leonard 3-1-2-8 Morrison 2-0-0-4 Boeken 6-1-3-13 Totals:16/1-12-40
Heritage Christian (14-19-17-11—60) (FG/3pt): Evans 4-0-2-11 Hekman 7-2-3-20 Manning 1-0-2-3 Ratzlaff 4-1-2-9 Dietz 1-0-2-3 Krikke 1-1-5-3 Anderson 6-0-5-12 Totals: 17/9-4-20
