The Marion basketball teams swept Canton-Galva Tuesday night. The girls won, 56-49, and the boys earned a 44-30 victory. 
Girls?In a game filled with turnovers by both teams, the Warriors overcame a slight deficit heading into the final quarter to come away with a seven-point victory.
It was a back-and-forth battle at the start. Bailey Robson made a basket with 4:10 to play in the opening quarter that gave Marion an 8-6 advantage. With a spell of chilly shooting and turnovers by both squads, neither team scored again until less than one minute remained in the period. Marion closed with a 6-2 run in the final 58 seconds for a 14-8 advantage at the first break.
The Eagles twice closed the gap to within one point in the second quarter, including 19-18 after Cassidy Enns contributed a traditional three-point play at the 3:09 mark. Marion maintained the lead, though, and took a 24-20 lead into the locker room at halftime.
With the Warriors in front, 30-24, after Julia Hall scored, Kelli Nightingale made a basket that was the start of a 15-3 Canton-Galva burst that put the Eagles in front, 39-33 with 1:07 left in the third quarter. A Kristen Herzet bucket and three-point play by Kourtney Hansen to end the period brought Marion within 39-38 heading into the final quarter.
Marion outscored the Eagles 18-10 in the fourth quarter and took the lead for good after Hall made a basket and followed with a pair of free throws 16 seconds later. The Warriors led by as many as 51-43 and went on to win by seven.
Boys?The Warriors used a big third-quarter effort to gain separation in their 14-point win over the Eagles Tuesday.
The teams battled to within two points by halftime. At the start, following a 2-2 tie, Canton-Galva?s Travis Unruh sandwiched a Bret Voth three-pointer with two traditional three-point plays that gave the Eagles an 8-5 lead with 3:43 left in the opening period. Marion ended the first quarter with a string of eight points to take the lead, 13-8.
The Warriors increased their margin to 19-11 after Mason Pedersen scored with 4:33 left in the second quarter, but those were Marion?s final points of the half as Canton-Galva closed the gap to 19-17 at intermission with six consecutive points courtesy of Zach Snow and Tanner Klingensmith.
Marion took control in the third quarter, using a 9-0 run to take a double-digit, 28-17, lead when Pedersen cashed in a three-point play. Marion outscored the Eagles 16-3 in the quarter to take a 35-20 margin heading into the final period.
The Warriors maintained a double-digit lead the rest of the way and led by as many as 18 points en-route to the 14-point victory.
Coming?Marion will host Hutchinson Trinity Friday.
For scores and updates during games, follow Janae on Twitter @janaerem13
