LOUISBURG — A blistering second half by Toni Macha proved to be the perfect elixir for an ailing Iola High Fillies offense.
Macha erupted for 18 points, 12 in the fourth quarter alone, as the Fillies picked up their first win of the year, 42-37, over host Louisburg in the second round of the Bulldog-Wildcat Classic.
The victory puts Iola (1-2) in the tournament’s third-place game at about 8 p.m. Friday against an opponent to be announced.
Macha’s outburst allowed Iola to erase an 11-point, second-half deficit against the Wildcats.
Her bucket with 5:30 remaining capped a 15-2 Iola run, pushing the Fillies on top, 28-26.
The teams traded the lead five times over the next 3 minutes, with Macha scoring each of Iola’s baskets to put the Fillies back on top.
The biggest shot of the night, however, went to senior Mikaela Platt, who drained a 3-pointer — Iola’s only trey of the night — with just under 2 minutes remaining to push the Fillies on top for good, 37-35.
Ashley Shields scored after a Louisburg turnover to push the lead to 39-35.
Shields and Sydney Wade then hit 3 of 4 free throws in the game’s waning seconds to seal the win.
Both teams had extended scoring droughts in the early going.
Iola held a 6-3 lead after one period before Louisburg took the lead with a 7-0 run early in the second quarter.
The Wildcats held a 16-13 lead at halftime and opened the third quarter with an 8-0 run.
Riley Murry — Iola’s early scoring star — gave momentum back to the Fillies with six straight points of her own, to cut a 25-13 deficit to 25-19. Macha’s buzzer-beater at the end of the period cut the margin to 26-21.
Murry wound up with 13 points. Shields and Platt scored 5 apiece. Wade had 1.
Madison Simpson led Louisburg with 15.
Fillies win 42-37
