BURLINGTON — Paola jumped on Iola early in the first round of the girls’ Burlington Invitational and cruised to a 54-31 victory over the Fillies.
The game might not be the Fillies’ most devastating loss of the night though. With 1:31 left in the third quarter, senior point guard Sydney Wade came down awkwardly on her ankle and fell to the floor in pain.
Iola coach Becky Carlson said Wade will be greatly missed if the injury keeps her out of future games.
“Scoring is a big thing for her, but so is just getting the ball up the court and running the team,” Carlson said. “She has a lot of court savvy and knows what to run and what the other team is in.”
While laying on the court, the Fillies’ star exclaimed that she felt her ankle “pop.” Wade was on the floor for a short time before being carried to the bench — still in immense pain.
Wade has had ankle problems in the past. Last season, she missed games towards the end of the season with an ankle injury and fellow-guard Colbi Riley came off the bench to start at point guard for the team.
“Just like last year, everybody else needs to step up,” Carlson said. “When (Wade) went out, Toni (Macha) and Colbi did a great job of handling the ball. (Madisyn Holloway) came in and had some good minutes. We aren’t just a one-person show.
“We are fighters and we will find a way.”
Riley preformed well last season, but if Riley is pressed into the point guard role this year, there are some new challenges for the junior to contend with.
Last season, when Riley joined the line-up she was flanked by a pair of senior wing players with Ashlie Shields and Mikaela Platt to provide her with help.
This season, Riley would vacate one of the starting wing spots to shift to the lead-guard position and the other wing spot has been rotating between senior Toni Macha — who splits time as a forward — sophomore Madisyn Holloway and junior Chloe Gardner.
Based on how the rotations are currently constructed it seems likely that Holloway would receive the starting nod. Her shooting ability also helps the team with Wade being to only consistent threat from three-point range among the starters.
Gardner and sophomore Piper Moore also will likely see increases in playing time with Wade potentially sidelined. Both players provide toughness and ball-handling ability to the Iola lineup.
The biggest key for the Fillies will be finding scoring punch outside of Wade.
On Tuesday, the Fillies dug a deep hole against the No. 6 ranked team in 4A-Division 1 — according to the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association — and the only offense they could muster was from Wade.
Wade scored all 12 of the Fillies first half points as they fell behind 34-12 at intermission.
