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 Fort Scott junior Kori Page Rienbolt (22) draws a foul from Iola's Misty Powelson as Tiger senior Elizabeth Meech (50) screens out a defender during the fourth quarter of play at Fort Scott, Kan., Friday night. Rienbolt and Meech each scored 15 points for the Tigers in a 62-59 overtime victory over the Fillies. (Tribune photo/Scott Nuzum). [Click to enlarge] |
In the overtime period of a battle for second place in the Southeast Kansas League battle with Iola, Rienbolt found Meech for easy layups on a couple of occasions as the Tigers went on to a 62-59 victory.
Meech's role increased as Fort Scott (12-2 in the SEK and 13-5 overall) went into overtime without Hannah Hawkins and Jolee Sharp, both of whom had fouled out in regulation time. Rienbolt found the six-foot senior under the basket for an easy layup to start the extra session.
Iola (10-4, 11-7) never led in the OT, but kept tying the score until Rienbolt found Meech again under the basket with 1:30 remaining. About a minute later, Meech drew a foul and made both free throws, putting the Tigers up 60-56.
Misty Powelson hit a three-point shot for the Fillies to bring them within one. Senior Afton Gray made one of two free throws with 9.7 seconds left and Meech hit one of two with 3.9 seconds remaining to create that turned out to be the final margin.
"Lots of players did a great job," Fort Scott head coach Jeff Armstrong said. "Elizabeth was able to attack the basket. The girls found her and she finished, which boosted our emotions. It was an all-around great effort from our starters to our bench players."
Rienbolt hit 10 of 12 free throws while Meech was a perfect five for five from the field as each finished with 15 points. It was a career high for Meech, who did not play last season but scored nine of the Tigers' 12 points in the extra session. Iola simply didn't have anyone who could match up with her.
It didn't appear as if overtime would be a possibility as it seemed maybe the Tigers had finally pulled away after Rienbolt made two free throws with 2:15 remaining to put her team ahead, 49-43. But Jordan Stockebrand brought the Fillies within three with a three-point shot from up top and Powelson cut it to one with charity tosses with 58 seconds left.
Rienbolt made the first of two free throws with 29 seconds to go but missed the second. Iola got the rebound, took it down to the other end and looked as if it didn't know exactly what to do until finally calling time out with seven seconds left.
Out of the time out, Powelson drove through the lane to tie the score at 50-50 with 3.8 seconds left on the clock.
The Tigers jumped out to a 7-0 lead early and were ahead 18-9 with 6:06 left in the first half. But the Fillies got seven points from Powelson during a 9-0 run that saw them take their first lead with 3:38 remaining.
The score was tied at 26-26 at halftime. Iola eventually gained a three-point lead, 36-33, with 2:45 left in the third. But Brittany Bingesser scored a layup and Rienbolt made two free throws to put the Tigers back on top.
"It was a good-fought game on both sides," Armstrong said. "The girls played with a passion. They didn't want to let this slip away."
"Earlier this year, we thought about becoming mentally tougher. At halftime, I challenged the girls (and) they played with a lot more heart. That didn't make it easier. But I'm proud of the girls and how they responded in a situation like that."
Stockebrand made a basket with 51 seconds left in the third but Rienbolt gave Fort Scott a 39-38 lead heading into the final stanza with a pair of free shots with 29 seconds to go.
Gray added 10 points to the Tiger effort while Stockebrand led all scorers with 17 points. Powelson added 15 points for Iola while Megan Larson chipped in with 14.
The Fillies' top three scorers combined to make 18 of 33 field-goal attempts as they shot 49 percent as a team on 24 of 49. Fort Scott made 19 of 43 fielders for 44 percent.
Iola posted a slight 30-29 rebounding advantage. Gray led the Tigers with seven boards.
The Fillies committed 18 turnovers to Fort Scott's 16. Sharp picked up four steals.
JUNIOR VARSITY -- The Tigers led 12-0 after one period and went on to a 40-16 win over Iola as Brieanna Jones scored 10 points.
FRESHMEN -- Fort Scott defeated Iola, 50-38. Jenna Campbell scored 21 points for the Tigers while Kori Allen added nine.
The Tiger varsity and junior varsity travel to Parsons to play make-up games Monday night. The freshmen team will face Iola again Monday night as the annual season-ending freshmen tournament gets under way. The frosh contest begins at 5 p.m. at Buck Run Community Center.
IOLA: Jacobs 1-2 0-0 2, Thompson 1-3 0-0 2, B.Larson 0-2 0-0 0, Powelson 6-13 0-4 15, Stockbrand 6-10 3-5 17, Sigg 4-9 1-3 9, M.Larson 6-10 2-3 14. TOTALS: 24-49 6-15 59.
FORT SCOTT: Gray 4-10 1-4 10, J.Allen 1-3 2-2 4, Sharp 3-8 0-0 6, Rienbolt 2-9 10-12 15, Hawkins 2-5 2-2 6, Bingesser 2-2 1-2 5, Dikeman 0-1 1-2 1, R.Allen 0-0 0-0 0, Meech 5-5 5-7 15. TOTALS: 19-43 22-31 62.
Iola..... 7 19 12 12 9 -- 59
Fort Scott.... 14 12 13 11 12 -- 62
Three-point field goals: Iola 5-12 (Powelson 3-7, Stockebrand 2-4, B.Larson 0-1), Fort Scott 2-7 (Gray 1-2, Rienbolt 1-3, Sharp 0-1, Dikeman 0-1).
Total fouls: Iola 26, Fort Scott 18. Fouled out: Stockebrand, Sigg, Sharp, Hawkins. Technical fouls: none.
Rebounds: Iola 30 (Stockebrand 11), Fort Scott 29 (Gray 7). Assists: Iola 10 (Powelson 4), Fort Scott 10 (Rienbolt 3). Turnovers: Iola 18, Fort Scott 16. Steals: Iola 11 (Powelson 7), Fort Scott 10 (Sharp 4). Blocked shots: none.
Well I wondered if FS would play the (name game). I was told by a parent of a Fort Scott student that this does happen at FS but not as bad as it was at my son's last school.There,we parents would discuss the (last name students)and as much as it upset us,what could we do? We had a name for theese coaches and Faculity,(the click). It was almost funny to see some of the kids playing the sport and doing terrible,then when the coaches would finally put in a (nobody),they would play great.But in no time they would be sat back on the bench,and out would go the last name student.I hate to go on and on about this but it does seem to go on in other schools as well I see.Another funny one is that at my son's last school they had 4th,5th,and 6th grade football and basketball that was played on Saturdays and boy did theese parents fight to be the coaches so their kids could play the whole game.You could always pick out the coach's kid by seeing who was never taken out of the game.My son starts a sport this week,a sport that he plays very well.I pray that he gets his equal time playing because if not he will be devastated.Thank you no1knows08 and outtatowner for your comments.
HEY critterbug from what i hear about FS "non1knows" is right about favoritism of students especially athletes. There are players on both boys and girls this year that have parents on school board and thats a big part of why the kids are playing. I've also heard that one school board member doesn't push his kids getting to play it's nice to see that some have a conscious.
It will happen just give it time. Every school system has its "names" that can do no wrong and seem to be "star" athletes. Also it depends on the extra activity that the kid is involved in whether there is extreme favoritism.
At my son's last school that he went to.The coaches would play every teacher's,board member's,friend's,bus driver's,principl's,janitor's child first and then if there was any spot left,the other kids might see some game time.Even if they had no talant,and would play bad, they would always get to play first.We wondered if the coaches thought they would lose their jobs if they didn't play those kids .This was the case not only in sports,it was who got to go on special trips.If two kids got in troulbe for the same thing.it was what your last name was that decided your punishment.This is my son's second year at Fort Scott and I haven't noticed any of this yet.My son loves Fort Scott.
MEECH has been on the bench, only playing behind the shortest person on the team. Maybe the coach can't see Meech from so far down low--note his size! There are others on the bench that are taller than the first post sub. Oh but isn't FS a guard team?
FS is a big NAME game player! and most school board kids too!
Ha! Ha! Ha! grannyp !!! good one..
Awesome Job MEECH!! Hopefully, now that the year is almost over, you will get play time!! Where have you been all year and why hasn't the coach seen your ability, height and shooting skill before now?? No coach, I'm not a relative, just another one of those that understands "not the right name" syndrome!