Mustangs come up short

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Sports

February 13, 2013 - 12:00 AM

LA CYGNE — While most everybody deserves a second chance now and then, Iola High boys coach Bill Peeper would rather it not be the Mustangs’ opponents.
On Tuesday, host Prarie View converted a number of second-chance scoring opportunities, enough to secure a  50-44 win over the Mustangs.
The loss, Iola’s sixth in a row, drops the Mustangs to a season-low three games below .500. Iola (7-10 overall and 3-4 in Pioneer League action) will host Wellsville Friday for Senior Night in the Mustangs’ final home game of the year.
“We just have this knack of not getting to this loose ball, or that crucial rebound,” Peeper said. “That’s what causes losing streaks.”
The Mustangs battled from behind most of the night after Prairie View jumped out to an 8-0 lead. The Mustangs finally forged ahead with 3:14 left in regulation, when Mason Coons was fouled on a successful 3-pointer. His following free throw nudged Iola in front 42-41.
The lead lasted all of 15 seconds.
Prairie View’s Nic Lee muscled in a shot from the lane with 2:59 left to retake the lead for the Buffalos. Zach Craig’s steal for the Buffalos led to a Luke Miller free throw, pushing Prairie View up 44-42 with 2½ minutes left.
Coons tied the score with a shot from inside before Tyler Powelson was whistled for a foul on a steal attempt. Lee broke the deadlock with two free throws at the 1:46 mark.
Iola’s next two possessions came up empty. Miller stole the ball for the Buffalos, but Prairie View lost the ball out of bounds, giving Iola possession once again. But Coons could not connect twice from inside, amid heavy contact from the Buffalo defenders. Lee pushed Prairie View up 48-44 with 45 seconds remaining. Powelson missed an inside putback attempt with 22 seconds left, leading to two final Buffalo free throws.
Iola trailed 8-0 early on and 16-7 late in the first quarter before Coons drilled a 3-pointer, followed shortly thereafter by a jumper from reserve Kaden Macha, cutting the deficit to 16-12 after one.
Iola climbed within four on a Powelson basket midway through the second period before the Buffalos rattled in six straight to lead 26-16. Powelson, Macha and Trent Latta each scored in the final 1:46 of the half to pull Iola back to within 26-22 at the break.
The pattern followed through much of the third quarter. Powelson scored to start the period, pulling Iola to within two, before the Buffalos embarked in a 13-6 run to lead 39-30. Latta’s basket closed the gap to 39-32 at the end of the period.
The game turned, Peeper said, on Prairie View’s second-chance points in the early portions of the contest.
“We know what we have to do,” Peeper said. “Just being able to do that seems to be the hard part.”
Tyler McIntosh scored with 6:24 left on the clock to close the gap to 39-34. Coons scored a minute later to pare the deficit to three, and Tyler Powelson’s steal and layup cut the deficit to one, 39-38. A Latta 3-point attempt nearly fell but popped out, as did Coons’ follow-up attempt. Shay Spears scored for the Buffalos to give Prairie View a 41-38 advantage, leading to Coons’ four-point play.
Coons pulled in high-scoring honors for the Mustangs with 15 points and five rebounds, followed by Powelson with eight and Macha with seven. Adam Kauth had four rebounds, while McIntosh had four steals. Powelson and Macha had three steals each. McIntosh, Macha and Tyler Clubine each had two assists.
“We got a lot of contributions up and down the bench,” Peeper said. “Kaden made a couple of nice shots, and Tyler Clubine came in with a couple of nice assists. I’m proud of our effort.”
Miller scored 18 and Lee 13 to lead Prairie View.
Iola’s junior varsity won 47-37. Jesse Zimmerman led the Mustangs with 16 points, followed by Macha with 10. Shane Walden added five, while Bryan Mueller and Fryendz Wallace scored four apiece. Adam Peterson scored two.
Iola (12-10-10-14—46)
Prairie View (16-10-13-11—50)
Iola (FG/3pt-FT-F-TP): Latta 3-0-4-6, Coons 4/2-1-3-15, McIntosh 2-0-2-4, Clubine 1-0-1-2, Macha 2/1-0-3-7, Kauth 2-0-2-4, Powelson 4-0-4-8. TOTALS: 18/3-1-18-46.
Prairie View (FG/3pt-FT-F-TP): Barthol 0/3-0-2-9, Phelps 1-1-1-3, Craig 0-0-2-0, Spears 1-2-2-4, Lee 4-5-1-13, Miller 3/3-3-1-18, Ross 1-1-3-3. TOTALS: 10/6-12-12-50.

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