Marshall County beat Thomas Nelson 77-54 in the second game of this season, but in Sunday’s second meeting at the Hoopfest, the Generals evened the series up with a 62-54 win. An improved team from the Jan. 5 game in Bardstown, Thomas Nelson came ready to play and were especially dialed in from 3-point range where over half their points were scored.
Thomas Nelson was led in scoring by 6’2″ freshman Riley Brown with 19 points. He was one of six different Generals to drop in a total of 11 threes but the hot-hands from beyond the arc belonged to Marshall’s Colby Schroader who sank five 3-pointers on his way to a season high 26 points.
Trailing 8-2 in the first quarter, Schroader scored 10 straight for the Marshals to cut Thomas Nelson’s lead down to one at 13-12. Cole Mills scored to give the Marshals their first lead of the game but it swung back to the Generals twice on threes by Andrew Hogan and Chase Girdley. Two buckets from Riley Smith and a field goal from Mills gave them a one point lead at 20-19 to end the quarter.
Zion Harmon entered the game in the second quarter, his first playing time since the Jan. 18 game against McCracken County and he made an impact with several assists and a 3-pointer to help lift the Marshals to a 33-29 lead at the half.
Thomas Nelson out-scored the Marshals 19 to 12 in the third quarter to lead by three at 48-45 with scoring spread among six different players. Schroader hit two threes, Quinn Smith a field goal and two free throws and a basket by Mills made up the scoring for the Marshals.
Harmon’s second basket of the game cut the Generals lead to 50-48 but that’s as close as it would get, Thomas Nelson going on a 5-0 run to lead by seven and went on to take the win by eight.
Looking forward to games next week, the Marshals will host Ballard Memorial (2-15) on Tuesday and Union County (10-6) on Friday. They will finish out the week Saturday at Carlisle County (9-5).
Thomas Nelson 19 9 19 14 – 62
Marshall County 20 13 12 9 – 54
Thomas Nelson (10-3): Brown 19, Hogan 14, Smith 10, Downs 9, Girdley 9, Keene 5
Marshall County (4-8): Schroader 26, Q. Smith 8, Mills 7, R. Smith 6, Harmon 5, Miller 2
