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Warriors lose tight game to Trinity

Gordon submits 20-point, 15-rebound performance

Staff writer

The Marion High School girls basketball team lost 44-39 to Hutchinson Trinity Friday in Marion.

Whitney Gordon capped off a season-high 20-point outburst with a one-step turnaround jump shot over her primary defender, Ashley Zrubek, who was playing underneath, just before a Trinity guard was approaching the Marion center for a double team. The score put the Warriors within 1 point, 40-39.

The Warriors fouled Zrubek within a second or two of the inbounds pass and the Hutchinson forward went to the line to shoot the frontend of a 1-and-1 free throw with 28.8 seconds left in the game. The shot bounced off the rim and Katey Ehrlich secured the rebound.

After a timeout, Emily Hett controlled the ball and looked for Gordon on the wing near the Marion stands. However, Zrubek denied a pass and Hett’s defender positioned herself between Hett and Gordon. With a free lane to the paint, Hett drove to attack the basket, but encountered two defenders waiting near the free-throw line. The tightly contested shot grazed the front iron before falling into the hands of Trinity’s Kaylin Labenz, who was promptly fouled.

Labenz hit the front end of the one-and-one opportunity, but missed the second free throw. The Warriors were still within a possession of winning the game, 41-39. After another Marion timeout, Donna Cady led the Warrior charge. She dribbled into the lane on the opposite side of Gordon. A Trinity defender slid with Cady along the paint, denying a layup. Looking to try to back up, the ball went out of bounds.

“She felt bad after that drive,” coach Randy Savage said. “The girl defended her well.”

Marion quickly assembled a press in Trinity territory, but like a quarterback in football, the Trinity inbound passer lofted an arcing pass to Lizzie Degner who was racing past half court. Degner caught the ball in stride and then scored a layup despite a foul by Ehrlich. The Trinity guard hit the free throw to ice the game at 44-39.

“They’re not happy about playing a lot better,” Savage said. “The good thing is they’re tired of losing and don’t like it.”

Savage can be happy about Gordon’s performance. Down the stretch in the fourth quarter, she scored on a post-up, turnaround shot over a double team, she nailed a 3-pointer to bring the Warriors within 3 points with 4 minutes, 32 seconds left in the game, and she dropped in a step-back, 18-foot, 2-point shot with just an inch of separation between she and Zrubek.

“The shots were falling,” Gordon said of the difference between Friday and earlier games this season.

Early in the fourth quarter, Gordon was calling for the ball in team huddles, a demand the shy Marion center would not have made earlier this season.

“I can tell when I have an advantage,” Gordon said. “I’m just trying to get used to being the go-to person. It’s definitely different from last year when I had the fourth best defender on me.”

The Marion junior was not a one-dimensional player on Friday. She grabbed 15 rebounds and blocked 3 shots.

At the midway point of the season, Gordon said the Warriors’ effort Friday might be the turning point in the season.

“We’re not giving up,” Gordon said.

Marion plays in the Cougar Classic tournament this week at Centre.

Last modified Jan. 20, 2011

 

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