Staff writer
The Marion High School boys’ basketball team defeated Trinity Catholic of Hutchinson 54-40 Tuesday night to secure a home game in the first round of the sub-state tournament.
Marion will be the location of the semifinals and finals of sub-state, but the first round is played at the home of the higher-seeded team. The win Tuesday assured Marion of a top-four seed in the tournament.
The first round will be Monday. The exact bracket will be released today. Other teams in Marion’s sub-state are Southeast of Saline, Halstead, Haven, Hesston, Trinity Catholic, Sacred Heart, and Sedgwick.
Friday against Bennington
The boys’ second matchup with the Bulldogs was closer than their first meeting earlier in the season.
In a back-and-forth first quarter, Grif Case led the Warriors with eight points, six of which were scored from behind the arc. Marion trailed until the final minute of the quarter, leading 14-13 going into the second.
Marion led by as much as eight in the second quarter, leading 28-23 at halftime.
The Bulldogs tightened their defense in the third, only allowing five Warrior points.
Bennington scored four unanswered points in the last minute of the quarter and took a 35-33 lead into the fourth quarter.
The lead changed hands four times during the fourth quarter, but Bennington held the advantage during the final four minutes, leading 46-43 with 20 seconds to go.
With two fouls to give, the Bulldogs fouled the Warriors twice.
With eight seconds to go, Robson missed a three, but the Warriors grabbed the rebound and called another timeout. Out of the timeout, Tim Knolla caught the inbound pass up top, but coach Jeff McMillin called another timeout.
McMillin said afterward the play he drew up in the team’s huddle didn’t work out like he planned, but the team got the points it needed when Zach Robson threw up a deep three that bounced off the front of the rim and backboard before going in. Tied at 46, the game went to overtime.
In the extra period, Jacob Baldwin made a free throw to put the Warriors ahead, but Bennington’s B.J. Glanton finished a three-point play underneath to put the Bulldogs ahead 49-47.
With more than a minute remaining, Robson made a shot down low to tie the game.
After the Bulldogs missed two free throws, Taylor Heidebrecht made two on a one-and-one opportunity. The Warriors won 51-49.
Scoring
Robson, 17; Case, 14; Knolla, 13; Baldwin, 3; Heidebrecht, 2; James Jones, 2.