BURLINGTON — When the Mustangs carried a 14-point lead into the fourth quarter on Tuesday night against Labette County in the first round of the Burlington Invitational, few people would have guessed a Mustang victory would depend on a game-winning shot in the last minute of the game.
“That was an ugly win,” Iola coach Jay Applegate said. “But it is a win and in a tournament you win and move on.”
Labette County sophomore Easton Dean hit a put-back shot with just 55 seconds left in the game to give the Grizzlies a 52-51 lead — their first lead of the entire game.
Then things began to get crazy in Burllington.
“It was frustrating that they got that close,” Fawson said. “We should have locked them down earlier, we pulled it together in the end.”
Iola inbounded the ball to Fawson and he went around a screen, before momentarily losing the ball on his way to the basket.
“That last 30 seconds was crazy,” Iola guard Ben Cooper said. “Not a lot of fouls called.”
Applegate agreed with his captain.
“It was probably the roughest game we’ve played all year,” Applegate said.
Fawson regathered the ball as he reached the paint and put in a contested layup with 40 seconds to retake the lead for the Mustangs.
“We ran a play for me where Evan (Sigg) sets a screen and I cut in,” Fawson said. “Evan just told me to drive to try and draw the foul, so I drove. I lost the ball but I was able to put the shot up and it went in.”
Plenty of time was left for Labette County — who had already scored 28 points in the quarter — to try and retake the lead.
“We had to lock them down and play good defense,” Fawson said.
The Grizzlies drove the ball with 15 seconds left, but the ball got loose and Iola forced a tie-up. The possession arrow pointed towards Labette County so the Grizzlies’ hope was still alive.
The ensuing Labette County shot missed, but they grabbed the rebound and whistles blew with just under two seconds left.
Was it a foul on the Mustangs? Would Labette County have a chance to break Iolan hearts at the foul line?
