The Marion girls? basketball team lost a heartbreaker to Haven Thursday, 44-43, in its final game before the holiday break. The Warriors led by as many as 10 points but gave up the lead late.
After trailing early, Marion began to take control. The scoring burst was capped by a Kourtney Hansen basket that put Marion in front, 14-7. Haven ended the first quarter with a last-second three-pointer to draw within 14-10.
The Warriors picked up where they left off in the second quarter, outscoring Haven 8-2 at the start. Contributing baskets during that stretch were Kourtney Hansen, McKenzee Remmers and Elizabeth Meyer. Bailey Robson added a pair of free throws to give Marion a double-digit, 22-12 lead with 4:02 left in the half. Haven scored five unanswered points to narrow the gap to 22-17 at halftime.
The teams traded baskets. Robson answered a Haven three with a trey of her own, and after Erika Hess made a pair of free throws, Marion?s lead was 31-24. The Wildcats scored the final three points of the quarter, bringing the score to 31-27 heading into the final break.
Things took a turn for the worse in the fourth quarter. Haven drained four three-pointers in a three-and-a-half minute span. Meanwhile, Marion committed four turnovers on consecutive possessions. As a result, Haven took the lead, 41-33.
In the final minute, Marion went on a furious rally, outscoring Haven, 10-3. Robson drained a three in the final seconds, but the effort was not quite enough.
?We went zone and it was okay for a little bit, and then gradually they started making shots, and I didn?t get us out of that fast enough,? coach Kelly Robson said. ?The girls did a great job of battling back. I told them, ?We?re getting closer to winning those close games.? I was pleased that they didn?t quit.?
Marion shot around 41 percent from the field (16-39). Robson led the Warriors in scoring with 13 points.
Coming?Marion (2-3)?will resume play at Canton-Galva Jan. 5.
