In a battle of Warriors, Marion swept Peabody-Burns Tuesday in the Marion Classic. The girls won 61-26, and the boys won 57-55.
Girls?Marion led from start to finish in a 61-26 victory over Peabody-Burns Tuesday.
Erika Hess opened the game with a three-pointer, and Marion took an early 5-0 lead before Christa Elliott knocked down a three-pointer for PBHS. The teams traded baskets before Marion gained distance with back-to-back baskets by Bailey Robson and McKenzee Remmers, for a 13-7 lead.
Elliott responded for PBHS by sinking three free throws after being fouled on a shot beyond the arc. Kourtney Hansen scored a layup off a steal with nine seconds left, but Katy Benson closed the gap to 15-13 with a three-pointer as time expired in the opening quarter.
Marion enjoyed an 11-4 run to start the second quarter. After Rylie McDowell scored for PBHS, Marion pushed its lead to double figures with a string of eight points for a 34-19 margin after Erika Hess scored off a steal. Marion took a 36-20 lead into halftime.
Marion burst out of the locker room with 10 unanswered points, including three consecutive baskets by Kourtney Hansen followed by a Robson three. Katie Charles scored PBHS? only basket of the quarter, then Marion finished it out with a 6-0 run for a 52-22 advantage heading into the final quarter.
A running clock was put into place to start the fourth quarter, and Marion cruised to the 35-point victory.
Erika Hess scored a game-high 18 points. Kourtney Hansen added 12 and Robson 11. Marion shot 53.3 percent from the field (24-45), compared with 30 percent for PBHS (9-30). Elliott was PBHS? high scorer with 10 points. Marion scored 30 points off 26 PBHS turnovers.
Boys?In a battle that came down to the wire, Marion came away with a 57-55 victory Tuesday.
The teams played each other fairly evenly in the first quarter. Marion led by four, 6-2, when Nicholas Stuchlik scored at 4:16, and Peabody-Burns led by three, 12-9, after a Braxton Kyle basket with 39 seconds left. Stuchlik scored to bring Marion within 12-11 by the end of the opening period.
Peabody-Burns twice led by as many as six points, including 23-17 after a Colton Terronez bucket, but from there, Mason Pedersen and Bret Voth drained back-to-back threes to tie the game. Zachary Stuchlik ended the half with a pair of free throws to give Marion a 25-23 advantage at the break.
Marion burst with an 8-0 run after halftime for a double-digit, 33-23 lead when Heidebrecht contributed a three-point play. Marion led by as much as 43-30 late in the third quarter, but PBHS ended with a 4-0 run to bring the score to 43-34 heading into the final period.
The teams traded baskets at the start before Brent Buller drained a three and was fouled. He made the following free throw, bringing PBHS within 45-40. Kyle hit a three-pointer, and Kornelius Skotaam tied the game at 45 with a pair of free throws with 5:55 to go.
From there, the teams battled neck-and-neck. With the game tied at 51 after a Kyle three, Pedersen made two free throws and Voth added one for a 54-51 lead with 2:01 to play. Junior Edmonson brought PBHS within 54-53 with a basket at 1:18, then Heidebrecht extended Marion?s lead to 55-53 with a free throw. A PBHS three-point attempt missed its mark, but Marion turned the ball over, allowing Skotaam to score a layup in transition to tie the game at 55 with 19 seconds left. Nicholas Stuchlik scored the game-winner with just 6 seconds on the clock. Kyle?s three-point attempt at the buzzer hit the rim but bounced out.
Marion shot 34.5 percent from the field (20-58). Voth led the team with 17 points. Pedersen added 12, and Heidebrecht and Nicholas Stuchlik each added 10. Nicholas Stuchlik finished with a double-double performance with 17 rebounds as well.
PBHS shot 40.8 percent from the field (20-49) and was led by Skotaam with 21 points. Kyle added 17 and Edmonson 11.
Coming?Marion will play its second games of the Marion Classic Friday against Berean Academy. The girls will play at 4 p.m. and the boys will play at 5:30 p.m. Peabody-Burns will next be in action at the Classic Thursday against Berean Academy. The girls will play at 7 p.m. and the boys at 8:15 p.m.
For scores and updates during games, follow Janae on Twitter @janaerem13
