Scoring woes continue to plague Iola High’s Mustangs. The Mustangs managed just seven first-half points Friday night at home against Pittsburg High’s Purple Dragons.
Iola scored more points in the fourth quarter, 16, than it did in the first three quarters, 13. The Purple Dragons took home a 49-29 Southeast Kansas League win, spoiling the IHS homecoming.
“We just can’t find ways to score. We’re playing decent defense and rebounding better, but we can’t put points on the board,” said Bill Peeper, Mustang head coach.
The Mustangs dropped to 0-5 in SEK play and 1-16 overall. They host Chanute Monday and Labette County Tuesday in SEK action.
Clint Heffern hit a three-pointer at the buzzer to avoid a scoreless first quarter for the Mustangs. They were down 10-3.
Pittsburg outscored Iola 12-4 in the second period for a 22-7 halftime lead. Iola had a basket by Jerrik Sigg and one free throw each by Charles Apt and Jarred Latta.
The Mustangs showed a little fire coming out of the break. Levi Ashmore and Christian Kauth had back-to-back baskets.
It was 22-11 then Pittsburg’s Caeleb Farrington scored countered with two buckets. Jornell Fondren hit a trey at the buzzer to push the Dragons to a 32-13 lead.
Pittsburg opened the fourth with six unanswered points. Sigg scored at the 4:43 mark to stop the run.
“The intensity and effort is there for us. We just can’t make it happen on the offensive end,” Peeper said.
“I thought the guys off the bench gave us a spark in the fourth quarter.”
Latta led Iola with six points. Ashmore, Sigg and Eli Grover each had four points.
Mason Coons grabbed four rebounds and Braden Larson had three rebounds. Tyler Clubine and Devon Conner each had two assists.
Iola was 5 of 10 from the free-throw line and Pittsburg hit 9 of 16 attempts.
Farrington paced the Dragons with 11 points.
Pittsburg won the junior varsity game 50-34. Conner scored 12 points for Iola.
In the freshman game, the Mustangs posted a 51-18 win. Adam Kauth fired in 22 points and Tyler Powelson added 10.
Iola (3-4-6-16—29) (FG/3-pt): Heffern 0/1-0-3-3, Ashmore 1-2-0-4, Coons 0-0-1-0, Conner 1-0-0-2, Sigg 2-0-2-4, Corey Taylor 0-0-3-0, Clubine 0-1-0-1, Larson 1-0-4-2, Kauth 1-0-0-2, Apt 0-1-0-1, Grover 2-0-0-4, Latta 1/1-1-2-6. TOTALS: 9/2-5-15-29.
Pittsburg (10-12-10-17—49) (FG/3-pt): Lee 1-0-0-2, King 1/1-2-0-7, Clark 1-0-1-2, Bernhardt 0-2-0-2, Hall 0-2-0-2, Elliott 2/1-0-1-7, Ellis 0-0-1-0, O’Dell 0-0-1-0, Gromer 0-0-1-0, Joy 0/1-0-0-3, Wimmer 0-0-1-0, Younge 3-2-2-8, Farrington 5-1-1-11, Fondren 1/1-0-2-5. TOTALS: 14/4-9-11-49.
Purple Dragons fire past Mustangs
