Staff writer
The Marion High School boys basketball team got off to a hot start Friday before cooling off and losing at Council Grove, 42-24.
The Warriors scored 16 points in the first quarter including 9 points from 3-pointers by Jordan Hett, Mikael Antoszyk, and Jordan Versch. Marion ended the period with 3 steals, which led to layups by Dillon Richmond and Hett.
The Warriors then scored 5 points in the second quarter. Jacob Harper hit a layup and Hett hit a 3-pointer. Council Grove went on a 5-0 run in the middle of the quarter. Then, with time expiring, Tyler Sisson drove and went up for a wild shot. He laid up the ball underhanded and the sphere went behind the basket before falling through the hoop, barely grazing the net, to beat the buzzer. However, the Warriors were still up 21-13 at halftime.
Hett and Versch each scored 8 points to lead the Warriors. Scott Jones collected 8 rebounds.
After half time, the Warriors lost nearly all ability to score. Versch hit a layup early in the third and Scott Jones sank one-of-two free throws for Marion’s only scoring for the half. A 3-point third quarter was compounded by no points in fourth quarter. Marion shot 20 percent from the field for the game, 3.85 percent after halftime.
Part of Marion’s offensive struggle was Council Grove’s tight 2-3 zone defense. Brave guards provided few driving lanes and Council Grove forwards helped shut the door with blocks in the paint. The Braves had 6 blocks; Brock Frye had 3.
Adding to the struggle was the fact that shots were not falling. Hett, Versch, and Richmond each had shots in the fourth quarter that hit two sides of the rim before bouncing out of the cylinder for rebounds.
The Warriors stopped being aggressive. In the fourth quarter, Marion guards dribbled on the perimeter for minutes at a time, creating few open shots.
Coach Jeff McMillin declined an interview request after the game.