Looking for a district split after losing to Calloway County on January 20, the Marshals achieved that objective with Friday’s 76-67 win. The win sets up a three-way tie in the 4th District with Murray and Calloway County, all with records of 4-2 and each team splitting their regular season games.
Murray will get the #1 tournament seed according to rules in place by the KHSAA which means Marshall County and Calloway County will tip off again in the district tournament semifinals while Murray will play Christian Fellowship. Marshall County will host this year’s tournament February 20-23.
Wade Moore and Trey Wall combined for an early 4-0 lead for the Marshals but a couple of quick three-pointers from Cole Lockhart and Jonah Butler put the Lakers up 6-4. Still trailing at 11-6, the Marshals finished out on a 9-0 run to lead 15-11 at the end of the quarter.
The Marshals maintained their lead throughout the second quarter, keeping the pressure on each time the Lakers scored with an answer at the other end. Logan Parker gave the Marshals a boost with seven points in the quarter and the half finished out on a three-pointer before the buzzer by Hunter Wallace for a 34-30 lead.
An even 19-point second quarter for each team carried over into the third quarter with both teams putting up 15 points. Alex Staples scored the first five of the quarter for the Marshals to stretch their lead to nine and they went up 46-36 following a nice and-1 play by Moore. The Marshals held a 49-45 lead at the end of the quarter.
A 7-0 run early in the fourth quarter stretched the Marshals lead back out to nine but the Lakers kept coming at them, in part with shots that were falling beyond the arc. Jonah Butler hit his sixth of seven threes in the game to trim the Marshals lead down to two points and they would tie the game for the first time at 59-59 on free throws from Butler and Conner Lockhart.
Four straight points at the line and from the floor by Moore who had 11 in the quarter, put the Marshals back up by four but Butler followed it up with his seventh three-pointer of the night cutting it back to one. Wallace, who had eight of his 13 points in the fourth quarter, scored the next five to give the Marshals a six-point cushion at 68-62 with a minute to go and they finished it off with the shots needed to win by nine.
“We kept our composure tonight”, Head Coach Sawyer Donohoo said to WCBL. “I was proud of our guys.”
Donohoo said he was proud of their mental toughness, something they talk about all year.
“We got contributions from a lot of guys”, Donohue said. “Everyone that came into the game played their role really well.”
Moore had 20 points to lead the Marshals, 16 coming in the second half. Butler led the Lakers with 29 points, hitting seven of the Lakers 12 three-pointers in the game.
The Marshals have one game left in the regular season on Tuesday, Feb. 14 at Webster County.
Marshall County 15 19 15 27 – 76
Calloway County 11 19 15 22 – 67
Marshall County (19-8): Wade Moore 20, Alex Staples 16, Hunter Wallace 13, Logan Parker 9, Trey Wall 6, Tommy Robertson 5, Logan Davis 3, Chase Binkley 2, Orrin Phelps 2
Calloway County (20-8): Jonah Butler 29, Stephen Lane 12, Eli Finley 11, Conner Lockhart 9, Aidan Clinton 3, Cole Lockhart 3
