Marshall County and Calloway County tipped off in the boys second semifinal of the 4th District Tournament on Tuesday and what a game it was. In the always tough 4th District, one team that deserves to be in the First Region Tournament doesn’t make the cut. Fortunately for the Marshals, it won’t be them after missing out on last year’s tournament, after defeating the Lakers 58-53.
“The toughness, grit and resiliency we have showed most of the year really came out tonight”, Head Coach Sawyer Donohoo said to WCBL.
The two teams split their regular season games, the Marshals winning the second, breaking a four-game losing streak to the Lakers but they lead the all-time series over Calloway County 101-31.
In typical fashion, the Lakers were off to a hot start on Tuesday at Reed Conder Gymnasium, getting a game-opening three by Cole Lockhart followed by a basket by Eli Finley for a 5-0 lead. Chase Binkley dropped one in from behind the arc to get the Marshals on the board but they would trail 17-11 at the end of the quarter.
Two straight threes from Stephen Lane and Finley quickly stretched the Lakers lead out to 12 points before Trey Wall hit the first of his trio of threes in the game. Two more three-pointers from Lane and Finley gave the Lakers their largest lead of 15 points at 29-14. A time out to regroup for the Marshals set off a 9-0 run to finish out the half down by just five points at 29-23.
Wall dropped in a three-pointer to open the second half and the Marshals were off and running, taking their first lead at 32-31 after two straight baskets from Alex Staples. The 9-0 run to end the first half stretched to a 28-2 run and 10-point lead for the Marshals at 41-31 and they headed to the final frame still up by 10 at 45-35.
Wade Moore, who scored 11 of the Marshals 13 fourth quarter points, put the Marshals up 50-41 with three minutes remaining but a dangerous beyond the arc Laker team hit two three-pointers to cut the lead down to three points at 52-49. Moore and Finley exchanged free throws and the lead was still three with 30.6 left on the clock.
Leading 54-51, Moore finished the game out at the line for the Marshals in the closing seconds going 4-for-4 to hold off the Lakers and advance to Thursday’s championship game against Murray.
The Marshals hit six three-pointers in the game and were 14-of-18 at the free throw line. Calloway County had nine three-pointers and made four trips to the free throw line, hitting all four. The Lakers season ends with a record of 21-10.
Marshall County 11 12 22 13 – 58
Calloway County 17 12 6 18 – 53
Marshall County (20-9): Wade Moore 20, Chase Binkley 10, Trey Wall 9, Alex Staples 7, Logan Parker 6, Hunter Wallace 4, Kyzer Phillips 2
Calloway County (21-10): Eli Finley 19, Stephen Lane 10, Conner Lockhart 7, Jonah Butler 6, Kolt Bazzell 5, Aidan Clinton 3, Cole Lockhart 3
