A seven-point run in the first minute and a half of the fourth quarter gave visiting Chanute High’s Blue Comets the separation they needed. Iola High’s Mustangs had pushed the Comets through three quarters of play in Monday’s makeup game.
The Mustangs, who are winless in Southeast Kansas League play and have one win all season, had the Blue Comets in a tough spot. Iola led 27-24 at halftime.
At the midway mark of the third quarter, the Mustangs were up by one. They were down one 36-35 and made a strong defensive stand at the end of the third period.
Chanute’s Dustin Eccles drove the baseline for a basket to open the fourth quarter. Skyler Miner hit a three and Alec Height had a quick layup. The Blue Comets used that burst to boost themselves to a 59-46 SEK win over the Mustangs.
“This was the best offensive execution we’ve had all season. But things can turn so quickly and it only takes a short time of not executing to turn a game,” said Bill Peeper, Mustang head coach, who saw the Mustangs drop to 0-6 in league play and 1-17 overall.
“Tonight, the kids had fun being basketball players. Get baskets at the end of the quarter and setting up a play in a timeout and executing it to score. Man, these guys work hard.”
Iola has Labette County (3-3, 8-9) coming to town tonight in SEK play. The Mustangs finish the regular season Thursday at Independence.
Down 2-0, Iola junior Clint Heffern nailed a three-pointer and it was off to the races for the Mustangs. One drawback to the game for Iola was foul trouble. The fouls mounted quickly, putting Chanute in the one-and-one by the 2:26 mark of the first quarter.
Christian Kauth dislocated a finger on his left hand in the opening minute. Kauth returned late in the period and ended up leading Iola with 16 points and three rebounds.
It was a Kauth basket with 48 seconds left that tied the game at 11-11. Miner hit a free throw to give Chanute a 12-11 lead at the end of the period.
Kauth stole the ball and scored to open the second quarter. Then drilled a trey 40 seconds later as Iola was up 16-12. A three-pointer by Levi Ashmore had Iola up 21-18 at the three-minute mark.
It was a back-and-forth contest. The Mustangs had a one-point lead and Jarred Latta scored at the buzzer sending them in the break up 27-24.
Ashmore opened the third quarter with a basket for Iola. Iola’s defense held Griffin Williams scoreless in the first hal, before he hit back-to-back threes to give the Blue Comets a 32-29 lead.
Williams scored 15 points in the second half to lead the Comets to victory. Eccles added 16 points. Caleb Wood scored 12 and Miner had 10 points. Chanute cashed in on 19 of 25 free throw attempts.
Jerrik Sigg fired in 10 points and had five steals for the Mustangs. Ashmore dished out five assists. Braden Larson had four rebounds while Latta pulled down three.
Chanute won the junior varsity game 52-43. Devin Conner scored eight and Trent Latta had seven for Iola.
The Iola freshmen won 40-38. T. Latta fired in 12 points while Tyler Powelson had eight points and 10 rebounds.
Iola (11-16-8-11—46) (FG/3-pt): Heffern 0/1-0-3-3, Ashmore 1/1-0-3-5, Latta 2-0-1-4, Sigg 3-4-5-10, Taylor 1-0-1-2, Larson 2-0-4-4, C. Kauth 5/1-3-4-16, Apt 1-0-4-2. TOTALS: 15/3-7-25-46.
Chanute (12-12-12-23—59) (FG/3-pt): Miner 0/3-1-3-10, Haight 1-4-1-6, Fox 0-0-5-0, Williams 3/1-6-0-15, Eccles 6-4-2-16, Wood 4-4-4-12, Gilmore 0-0-2-0. TOTALS: 14/4-19-17-59.
Blue Comets rally past Mustangs
