It’s the first 3-0 start to the season for the Marshals since the 2015-16 season and Saturday’s 69-60 Hoopfest win over Owensboro marked Head Coach Terry Birdsong’s 500th win.
They were led in the win by the play of junior Wade Moore who earned Player of the Game honors with 17 points, six assists and was 11-of-14 at the free throw line along with senior Kole Sedlock who led in scoring and rebounds with 18 and eight.
A 13-10 first quarter lead was stretched to an 11 point lead at halftime. Owensboro cut it to three points twice in the second quarter before the Marshals pulled away on baskets by junior Hunter Wallace and a 3-pointer from junior Trey Wall to lead by seven. They ended the half up by 11 on a 3-pointer before the buzzer by Wallace.
Owensboro’s Amari Wales opened the second half with two field goals to cut the Marshals lead down to six points. Up by eight at 38-30, they out-scored Owensboro 16-5 to finish out the third quarter on a 54-35 lead behind six points from Quinn Smith, six by Sedlock and two baskets each from Colby Schroader and Wallace.
Owensboro cut it back to 10 points at 63-53 with just over three minutes to play and would get to within eight points with 1:54 left on the clock. The Marshals hit 6-of-8 at the free throw line in the final minute and a half to win by nine.
Coach Birdsong Birdsong said they had a lot of pieces contributing in the win – especially with six guys scoring seven points or more.
“We’ve got a good point guard”, Birdsong said. “Wade Moore’s doing everything we want him to do. He’s just as athletic as most teams we play so that gives us a good plus when your point guard can get by people and move things…and he’s tough. He’s physically tough, he’s mentally tough, he’s aggressive.”
“When you have balance…I know when we’re preparing for a team…the team’s that have a lot of balance are the hardest to do anything with because you really can’t key on any one person”, Birdsong added. “I feel like that’s how we are. Sedlock can hurt you…Schroader can…Quinn Smith is giving us a ton of experience…Mills is as athletic as anybody we play. Just continuing to stay hungry and stay motivated.”
Birdsong said of their 3-0 start, “Massac was undefeated and this Owensboro team…I was telling the kids after the game. Owensboro has won more regional titles that anybody that’s ever played – 27 of them. So anytime you can beat Owensboro, you’ve done well.”
About the 500th win milestone – “I’ve had great coaches. God’s blessed me with good health. I’ve had wonderful players and great family support. I’ve just been blessed.”
The Marshals will host Carlisle County (2-0) on Tuesday. The Comet’s Garrett Hayden scored 70 points in their 84-79 win over Paducah Tilghman on Friday.
Owensboro 10 9 16 25 – 60
Marshall County 13 17 24 15 – 69
Owensboro: Chris Glover 18, Amari Wales 13, Kenyata Carbon 13, Jalen Rogers 11, Kanye Johnson 4, Talas Taylor 1
Marshall County: Kole Sedlock 19, Wade Moore 17, Cole Mills 8, Quinn Smith 8, Colby Schroader 7, Hunter Wallace 7, Trey Wall 3
Owensboro: FG 24/49, 3 PT 1/7, FT 11/20, REB 21, PF 23, AST 4, TO 10
Marshall County: FG 21/40, 3 PT 3/7, FT 24/31 (Moore 11/14, Mills 6/6), REB 32 (Sedlock 8, Wallace 7), PF 15, AST 11 (Moore 6, Mills 4), TO 15
Friday, the Marshals played Massac County, Ill. in their first game of the Hoopfest. Behind a 29 point night from junior Cole Mills, the Marshals beat the Patriots 76-41, handing them their first loss of the season after a 5-0 start. Mills was 8-of-9 at the line and 3-for-3 behind the arc and earned Player of the Game honors.
Two more Marshals in double-figures included Hunter Wallace with 12 and 10 by Colby Schroader. Kole Sedlock led in rebounds with nine. Isaac Hosman led Massac County with 20 points including a perfect 10-for-10 at the free throw line.
Massac County 15 7 12 7 – 41
Marshall County 17 23 25 11 – 76
Massac County: Isaac Hosman 20, Brady Smallman 6, Ian Higgerson 5, Will Harmon 4, Andy Girat 3, Brady Cissell 2, Max Bremer 1
Marshall County: Cole Mills 29, Hunter Wallace 12, Colby Schroader 10, Kole Sedlock 8, Wade Moore 6, Hunter Anderson 3, Trey Wall 3, Talon Smothers 3, Quinn Smith 2
Massac County: FG 12/39, 3 PT 6/15, FT 11/16, REB 23, PF 16, AST 6, TO 14
Marshall County: FG 29/58, 3 PT 8/20, FT 10/14, REB 39, PF 15, AST 15, TO 10
Marshals vs Owensboro – Hoopfest
