?It seemed for every step we took forward, we went backward two steps,? coach Rex Ostmeyer said.
Lyons set the tone 14 seconds into the game when Brett Bieberle knocked down a 3-pointer.
Gordon, continuing a recent run of dominance on the boards and in the paint, countered with Marion?s first basket.
Luke Knight scored off Bieberle?s assist on Lyons? next trip, and Eric Vogel made it 5-4 on Marion?s possession.
But after Brennan Clark hit a 3-point shot set up by senior forward Casey Dwyer, the Warriors were unable to answer in kind until Jeffrey trimmed it to 12-9 with a 3-point bomb 20-plus feet from the hoop on the left wing with 2:51 left in the first.
A 31-23 halftime deficit proved too much to overcome, but the Warriors made it interesting during the fourth quarter, with a 10-3 run that sliced the deficit to 52-48 with 4:00 to go.
But the Lions defended their lead with strong free-throw shooting down the stretch..
Nickerson?The Warriors beat Nickerson 50-45 Jan. 29, in Marion. Luke Gordon wrecked the Panthers at both ends of the floor, scoring 18 points to go with five blocks. A 22-15 run in the final frame brought the Warriors back from a provided the margin of victory.
Coming?Marion played at Haven Tuesday and faces Halstead Friday at home. The Warriors host Smoky Valley this Tuesday.
