The Iola Middle School boys basketball team played host to Osawatomie Monday evening and walked away with two wins while barely missing out on a third.
The eighth-grade JV started things off since the Trojans didn’t have enough players to field a seventh-grade JV team and came away with a 29-12 win.
The Mustangs began with a 7-2 first quarter followed by an 8-0 second quarter to give the Ponies a 15-2 lead at the half. Iola pushed that lead to 17 after an 8-4 fourth quarter and kept the lead throughout the rest of the game.
Brett Willis had six points in the win followed closely behind with five for Deacon Perkins and four for Devon Wilson, Nathan Stevens, Kolten LaCrone and Pierce Beasley. Colin Long had two points.
Beasley also grabbed seven rebounds and Perkins snatched four steals.
The seventh-grade varsity continued the Ponies winning way, beating Oz 39-11. The Mustangs allowed just five points in the first three quarters while scoring 24 points in the first half and another 11 in the third quarter to take a 35-5 lead heading into the fourth quarter. Iola got outscored 4-6 to close out the game.
Carter Hutton had a big day, scoring 15 points and grabbing 12 boards in the win. Eli Adams also recorded double-figures scoring 10 points to go along with seven steals.
Preston Hurst had six points and Jake Skahan, Brandon McKarnin, Jack White and Kyler Mittelmeier each scored two points.
“The boys got off to a good start tonight defensively, which led to fast breaks and scoring opportunities,” head coach Scott Ellis said. “Adams’s 7 steals and Hutton’s 12 rebounds set the tone for the game. I’m proud of all of them, this was a big win for us.”
The Ponies wrapped up the evening with a 31-27 loss for the eighth-grade varsity.
Iola trailed 15-12 after the first quarter and that carried through into halftime as neither team scored in the second quarter. The Trojans pushed that lead to six after the third quarter. Iola fought back and took a one-possession lead late but it wasn’t enough though they outscored Osawatomie 13-11 to end the game.
“Tough break for us tonight,” Ellis said. “We were slow to start the game offensively but we still held them close and overcame the deficit in the second half. We took the lead, and I thought we were going to run with it late but we were not able to stop their penetration. The boys competed and though it doesn’t feel good to lose, I thought we took some positive steps forward.”
Karson Sigg had a team-high 11 points followed by eight for Tyler Boeken. Brett Morrison scored five points, Cooper Riley scored two points and Sam Fager scored a point.
Fager also grabbed three boards and four steals.
The Ponies will travel to Burlington on Thursday to take on the Bobcats.
Picture — Seventh-grader Pony Preston Hurst, left, tries to inbound the ball versus Osawatomie on Monday.
