Tiger girls hold off Fillies

IOLA -- Fort Scott High's girls rallied to take the lead in the second quarter and were able to fend off Iola despite its performance at the free-throw line here Tuesday night.

The Tigers scored the last 10 points of the second quarter to take the lead for good then got their defense to settle in and prevent the Fillies from rallying, holding on for a 43-29 victory.

Iola (3-6) made 18 of 24 free-throw attempts but just 5 of 24 shots from the field. In the late third and early fourth quarters, the Fillies began to drive the lane looking to get fouled. But they didn't get to the line in the final 2 1/2 minutes while, ironically, Fort Scott (3-5) scored the game's final 6 points by making 6 of 8 free throws in the last 2:08.

Iola held a 7-4 lead after one period as Kelsey Adams made a 3-point shot with just under two minutes to go. The Fillies wouldn't score another field goal until after the 6-minute mark of the third.

Free throws were enough to keep Iola in front, 14-8, halfway through the second. But Sidney Maycumber scored the first 5 points of that half-ending 10-point run and the Tigers went on to take a 4-point lead into the locker room.

Mallory Shelton and Brianne Lawrence scored the first two baskets of the third quarter as the lead grew to 22-20. Maycumber -- who finished with 12 points -- converted a 3-point play with around 3 minutes left to stretch the margin to 27-16, finishing what ended up being a 19-2 run.

Iola used free throws to get within 28-23 going into the fourth quarter. Kendra Taiclet, who made 9 of her 12 charity tosses, made two to begin the final stanza to bring the Fillies within three.

Lawrence made back-to-back hoops -- part of her 14-point night -- to put the Tigers up by 8 with 6:02 to go.

FORT SCOTT: Tourtillott 0 1-2 1, Allen 0 2-2 2, Rienbolt 2-3-4 8, Shelton 1 2-2 4, Sd.Maycumber 3 6-8 12, Karleskint 0 0-0 0, Lattimer 1 0-0 2, Lawrence 7 0-0 14, Gray 0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 14-34 14-18 43.

IOLA: Larson 2 5-6 9, Taiclet 1 9-12 11, Toney 0 0-0 0, McFadden 1 1-2 3, Adams 1 0-0 3, Shay 0 3-4 3, Sigg 0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 5-24 18-24 29.

Iola................ 7 7 9 6 -- 29

Three-point field goals: Fort Scott 1-3 (Rienbolt), Iola 1-8 (Adams).

Total fouls: Fort Scott 19, Iola 17. Fouled out: Adams. Technical fouls: none.

Rebounds: Fort Scott 26, Iola 21. Turnovers: Fort Scott 19, Iola 21.