RICHMOND — Sydney Wade and the Iola Fillies have been through a meat-grinder of a schedule in the opening week of the season, but on Thursday, the senior guard and her teammates finally got some relief with a 48-34 victory over Kansas City Christian in the Ike Cearfoss Preseason Tournament in Richmond.
“We needed that win,” Iola coach Becky Carlson said. “It was really important to get that one.”
Wade has faced exotic defenses designed by Girard — who has moved up to the No. 2 spot in this week’s Kansas Basketball Coaches Association rankings — and Kansas City Metro Academy, but Christian chose to keep it simple and play much more straight-up defense than Iola had previously seen and Wade took advantage.
“Sydney had a great game,” Carlson said. “This is the first night that she has gotten any looks at the basket. They were leaving her open and she took the shots that she had.”
With her starting backcourt partners Colbi Riley and Toni Macha slowed by illness, Wade put it on her shoulders to carry the Fillies to their first victory. Macha didn’t start due to her illness.
“Toni missed the last two days of practice because she is sick so that is why she didn’t start,” Carlson said. “I think Colbi is getting better, but Toni just has that bad cough.”
Learning to cope with adversity early in the season could pay dividends later in the season for the veteran Fillies.
“It has been tough, but we are used to having to overcome obstacles,” Wade said. “I think this is making us better, because we are learning to deal with that kind of stuff.”
Wade got going in the first quarter with a three pointer to erase a 5-2 Christian lead.
“I felt like I was back in my element,” Wade said. “I could lead the team and look for passes. I was back in my groove.”
After Christian retook a 7-5 advantage, Iola coach Becky Carlson inserted Macha into the lineup and the senior scored six-straight points to give her team an 11-7 lead.
A Katie Bauer layup extended the margin to 13-7 at the end of the first quarter.
Three quick points from Wade to start the second quarter worked the lead to nine.
The Fillies maintained their advantage until halftime when they took a 27-17 lead into the locker room.
Iola senior Della Lohman got the second half started right for the Fillies with the first basket of the third quarter to spark an 11-1 run.
Wade began to heat back up during the run with seven points and the Fillies’ lead went to 38-18 midway through the third quarter.
