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1-1 week ends on high note for Warriors

Sports reporter

Marion High School boys' basketball coach Rex Ostmeyer challenged his team to play better after winter break.

It would be hard to find someone who would say the Warriors have not.

After losing five of their first six games before break, the Warriors came out with a 21-point victory against Hoisington Jan. 6, and then headed to Collegiate Jan. 10 for a match-up with the ranked Spartans.

Leading by three in the final quarter, the Warriors allowed a Collegiate three-pointer, and turned the ball over three straight times, falling 57-50.

"We fought and fought, we just didn't get it done," Ostmeyer said.

On Friday MHS turned a tie game at the half, into a 70-56 victory against the Ellinwood Eagles. It improved the team to 3-6 overall, but more importantly, 2-1 in the Mid-Central Activities Association.

Despite the loss, Ostmeyer was happy with his team's play.

"We're getting closer and closer," he said. "I still think we have a ways to go defensively. We just have to make the decision that we're going to fight people on the defensive end of the floor. If we do that I'll think we're going to be all right."

After the close loss to Collegiate, the Warriors were ready Friday to get back in front of their home crowd.

A three-pointer from sophomore Calvin Jeffrey gave Marion a 4-0 lead, and brought the crowd to its feet.

Ellinwood then ran off eight straight, before junior Travis Hett nailed a three, cutting the lead to one. A shot at the buzzer of the first quarter gave the Eagles a 13-11 lead.

It was Hett's heroics in the second quarter as well that kept the Warriors close.

Trailing 29-26 with less than 20 seconds to play, Marion had the ball. Hett found himself open behind the three-point line, swishing a shot that tied the game with just three seconds left in the first half.

The first few minutes of the second half resembled the first half, as the teams were tied at 33. The Warriors then used a 9-0 run to jump ahead 42-33. Three players scored during the run, none of them the team's leading scorers, Travis or Jason Hett.

"The most important thing on the offensive end is we're getting some balanced scoring," Ostmeyer said. "We've got to have people scoring opposite Jason and Travis."

Marion did just that on Friday with 12 points from Emmanuel Jackson, nine from Jeffrey, and six from Jeremy Vondenkamp, to go along with 18 from Travis and 16 from Jason.

After the 9-0 run, Marion never let Ellinwood get close, leading 48-38 heading into the fourth quarter.

Both Hetts then scored all six points in a 6-0 run to open the quarter, and all but ended any chance of an Ellinwood comeback.

The lead grew to 20 after a Josh Kelsey basket, but sloppy play the final few minutes led to the final score of 70-56.

Jason Hett had 10 rebounds to go with his 16 points, Travis Hett recorded four rebounds and four steals with his 18 points, and Jeffrey had a game-high four assists.

"We're all starting to get more confidence and be more patient," Jason Hett said. "That's helped us out a lot."

Ostmeyer knows every game from here on out is important, and expects good things from his team.

"Anything is possible," he said. "Talent-wise we can beat anyone we play. We'll just lace them up, roll the ball out, get after it and see what happens."

Trojan classic

MHS played Tuesday at Hillsboro in the Trojan Classic. The seventh seeded Warriors matched up against number two seed Belleville.

A victory would mean the Warriors play at 7:30 p.m. Friday in the semifinal game. A loss puts them on the court at the same time Thursday in the loser's bracket.

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