Playing Council Grove close until the final minute, the Marion boys basketball team ended its season with sub-state quarterfinal loss to Council Grove 54-46.
Facing a 47-41 deficit with 1:11 left to play, Marion?s Wil Case drove to the basket drawing a foul.
Case made the first free throw and missed the second attempt which was rebounded by Isaac Hett. Hett scored on a putback off the rebound cutting the Braves lead to 47-44.
Hett failed to complete the traditonal three-point play missing the free throw attempt.
After a scramble for the rebound on the Hett miss, Council Grove came up with the loose ball and pushed the ball up the floor for a fastbreak lay up to give the Braves a 49-44 advantage.
Marion cut Council Grove?s lead to 49-46 with a Drew Maddox drive and lay up with 41 seconds.
Council Grove scored on its next possession to extend its lead to 51-46 with 26 seconds to play.
After a Case failed three-point attempt Council Grove?s Tyler Sisson was fouled. Sisson made the first attempt and rebounded his second attempt.
Sisson was fouled after corraling his own miss and rounded out the game?s scoring by hitting two free throws.
Council Grove?s Derek Ziegenhirt led all scorers with 22 points and 10 rebounds. Sisson finished with 12 points and six rebounds.
Issac Hett paced Marion with 21 points, nine rebounds and five steals. Wil Case scored 17 points.
Marion shot 31 percent from the field and 44.4 percent from the free throw line.
Council Grove?The Marion boys finished the regular season winning one of two, winning at Council Grove 55-49 Feb. 22 and falling 48-38 against Smoky Valley in Lindsborg Tuesday.
Against Council Grove, the Warriors shot 62 percent from the field and 80 percent from three.
Isaac Hett finished with 22 points, six rebounds, four steals and three blocked shots. Wil Case shot 3-for-4 from three, booking 18 points. Eric Vogel contributed nine points.
Smoky Valley?Tuesday, the Warriors played Smoky Valley tight in the first half, heading into the locker room with a 22-22 tie.
The Vikings gained a slight advantage in the third quarter, leading by as much as six with 1:46 left in the quarter. The third quarter ended 36-32.
Marion kept the game within four until Smoky Valley went up 44-38 then 46-38 on a Greyson Pihl basket with 1:11 to play. It was Pihl’s only basket of the game.
Seth Nelson paced Smoky Valley with 16 points, seven rebounds. Kelly Pihl finished with 11 points, five rebounds.
Eric Vogel led all scorers with 19.
Marion finished its season 3-8 in MCAA play and 7-14 overall.
