Regaining possession with under a minute to play after a double-dribble by Lyons, the Marion boys? basketball team took a 44-42 lead on a driving basket by its youngest player, freshman Jordan Hett.
?We ran our one offense, so we just tried to curl,? said Jordan Hett. ?Mitch (Cady) threw a good pass. I knew I just had to take it up. After I made it, I was pretty pumped up.?
The go-ahead basket was followed up by a solid defensive play at the other end of the floor in which Marion?s Wil Case ended up with a loose ball, which he passed to Isaac Hett.
Isaac Hett drew a hard foul on his way to the basket, which was ruled to be intentional. Marion was awarded two free-throw and possession of the ball with five seconds left in the ball game.
Isaac Hett hit one of two free-throws to extend the Warriors? lead to 45-42. After a Marion time out, the ball was inbounded to Jordan Hett who was fouled immediately. He missed the front end of the one-and-one, but was bailed out by a Lyons lane violation.
Jordan Hett then knocked down the final free-throw to extend the Warrior lead to four points with four seconds left. After a desperation heave by the Lions, the game ended 46-42.
Marion overcame a nine-point second-quarter deficit for the victory.
After ending the first quarter with a 13-10 lead, Marion found itself on the wrong end of a 13-2 second-quarter run. But the Warriors grabbed some momentum going into the half after a 3-point basket by Jordan Hett late in the second quarter to narrow the margin to 25-20.
Marion coach Jeff McMillin said taking shots going toward the basket helped the Warriors establish themselves offensively in the second half.
?In the first half, we were settling for jump shots, albeit open jump shots, but jump shots all the same,? said McMillin. ?On the road, especially, we need to get some shots from close in and get to the free-throw line. In the second half we did a better job of that.?
Attacking the basket in the third quarter, the Warriors outscored Lyons 10-5 to tie the game 30-30 going into the final stanza.
In the fourth quarter, both teams battled back and forth, changing leads several times until the final minute.
Marion held Lyons to 39.5 percent shooting and forced 17 turnovers. The Warriors shot 52 percent in the second half.
Isaac Hett led all scorers with 18 and pulled down five rebounds. Jordan Hett booked 11 points on 4-for-6 shooting. Eric Vogel fouled out with 10 points, six rebounds and three steals.
Keith Tucker led Lyons with nine points.
Marion improved to 3-3 overall and is 1-0 in Mid-Central Activities Association play. The Warriors traveled to Haven Tuesday and will host Hosington on Friday.
