It may not have been pretty, but the Marion boys’ basketball team took care of business tonight by defeating at Southeast of Saline, 61-47, in the Warriors’ season opener. The girls’ team wasn’t so lucky, struggling on offense in a 49-16 defeat.
Boys – Marion’s Jacob Harper started things rolling for the Warriors with four points in the first two minutes. The seniorfinished with 24 points, including 17 in the first half. Though Marion struggled to get shots to fall and trailed early, James Jones pulled down offensive rebounds to keep the Warriors in the game. With two minutes left in the first period, senior Jordan Hett made back-to-back baskets to tie it up, 10-10, at 1:48. A three-point buzzer shot gave SES the 13-12 advantage at the end of the period.
The Warriors scored 11 straight points to start the second quarter to take a 23-13 lead. Harper made a free throw to complete a three-point play with 42 seconds left, and then the Trojans hit a bucket to make it 31-26, Marion, at the break.
SES put together a six-point run to begin the half to draw within a point. But Marion’s Ethan Hett hit a three-point basket at 4:13 to make it 36-32. The Warriors maintained the lead through the quarter, until with a minute and 42 seconds left, the Trojans once more rallied to within one, 42-41. But Harper made three free throws to give Marion some breathing room. Ethan Hett then scored to make it 45-41 to end the third period.
Marion finished strong with good contributions off the bench to extend its lead to double digits in the final quarter and walk away with the 61-47 win.
In addition to Harper’s 24 points, half of which came at the line, Jordan Hett recorded 21 points. Ethan Hett chipped in four points and Zac Robson and Taylor Heidebrecht scored three points each.
Girls – The Warriors weathered a scoreless first period to trai, 10-0. Megan Richmond finally put points on the board for Marion at the line to begin the second quarter, with Kelli Hess adding six points in the quarter and Julia Hall completing a three-point play with a foul shot. But it wasn’t enough to keep up with the Trojans’ offense. SES led, 28-14, at the half.
The outlook didn’t improve much in the second, with Katey Ehrlich providing the lone points at the free-throw line for the final score of 49-16.
