Since the 2016 season, Marshall County and Murray have met in the 4th District Championship game five times. Murray has won three of four over that time coming into Thursday’s title game and the Marshals were looking for their first championship since the 2019-2020 season and 26th in program history.
After losing in the championship game to Calloway County last season and winning the title in 2021 over the Marshals, Murray once again cut the nets down Thursday at Reed Conder Gymnasium.
A 6-2 start by the Marshals on 3-pointers by Chase Binkley and Hunter Wallace was quickly equaled by Murray, tying it up on two straight baskets from Zavion Carman. Murray stretched out a 13-0 run to lead 15-6 before Wade Moore scored for the Marshals to finish out the first quarter down 15-8 to the Tigers.
The Marshals cut the lead down to four points before a 7-0 run by the Tigers extended their lead out to 11 points and they went to the locker room at halftime with a 12 point lead at 28-16.
“We came out to start the game okay for the first minute or so, then they started making shots”, Marshals Head Coach Sawyer Donohoo said. “They’re a super talented team. They seem to make us pay every time we didn’t hit a rotation or a switch.”
A 3-pointer by Moore in the third quarter cut the Murray lead down to single digits at 34-25 after trailing by 12. Murray led by as many as 15 in the quarter but a 5-0 run by the Marshals to finish it out on free throws by Trey Wall and a basket by Staples cut it to 44-33.
The Marshals added to the 5-0 run and scored six more unanswered to open the fourth quarter and trim the Murray lead down to five points. Drew May’s 3-pointer put the Tigers back up by eight but Moore drained a three at the other end to cut it back down to five once again.
With 5:04 left in the game, Moore was called for his fifth foul which added fuel to the fire for the Marshals who were down by nine after Grant Whitaker – who was 10-of-10 in the half at the line – converted the free throws. Five points from Alex Staples and a pair of free throws by Wall and it was 51-49 with 3:26 to go before Logan Davis tied the game at up at 51-51.
Tied at 57-57 on a basket by Tommy Robertson, Murray hit three of four free throws in the final 17.3 seconds to lead by three. Robertson heaved a long three attempt to tie as time expired.
“I can’t speak enough about the fight that those guys have”, Donohoo said. “They had it all season. I told them after the game, I knew our run was coming, we just decided to make it a little too late. Honestly, they kicked our tails on the glass. If you look at one aspect of the game, it’s rebounding, and they got us.”
Moore and Staples led the Marshals in scoring with 17 points each. Whitaker led Murray with 18. The Marshals were 10-of-16 at the free throw line. Murray made 31 trips to the line and converted on 20. The Marshals hit seven 3-pointers led by Moore with three. Murray had four from behind the arc led by May with two.
Marshall County players Moore, Wall and Wallace were selected to the All-Tournament Team.
Both teams will head to next week’s CFSB First Region Tournament with Murray looking to defend last year’s title.
Marshall County 8 8 17 24 – 57
Murray 15 13 16 16 – 60
Marshall County (20-10): Wade Moore 17, Alex Staples 17, Trey Wall 7, Chase Binkley 5, Tommy Robertson 4, Logan Davis 4, Hunter Wallace 3
Murray (21-8): Grant Whitaker 18, Collin Wilson 12, Zavion Carman 11, Drew May 9, Kobe Watson 7, Lincoln English 2, Jeremiah Jones 1
