Jody Norwood/Tribune-Courier || Andrew Edwards puts up a shot against Murray Thursday as Stephen Atkinson moves in to assist.

Marshals open district action strong

Tigers stumble
54-41 at Marshall

By Jody Norwood
Tribune-Courier Sports Editor
jnorwood@tribunecourier.com

DRAFFENVILLE– History is filled with titanic duos. Starsky and Hutch. Batman and Robin. Mario and Luigi. Atkinson and Clark.

Thursday night against Murray, Stephen Atkinson and Blake Clark scored 16 points apiece to lead Marshall County 54-41 over Murray High School. The duo combined for 5-of-8 3-pointers and 12-of-15 field goals. Atkinson also reeled in 11 rebounds.

Clark and Atkinson scored the opening baskets, along with a bucket by Chase York, as part of a six-point run before the Tigers got onto the board. Murray recovered briefly, locking the game at six. The visitors would get no closer to the lead.

Clark broke the tie with a trey with more than a minute remaining. Over the final two minutes, Tanner Wilson hit 2-of-3 free throws and Atkinson capped an 8-2 scoring run with a 3-pointer at the buzzer for the 14-8 lead.

The Tigers searched the arc for 3-point baskets through the first three minutes of the second quarter, but could only find the basket once. The Marshals, on the other hand, hit a trio of treys as they outscored the Tigers 14-6 through the frame. The Marshals worked the clock through the final minute with York hitting the back end of a pair of free throws for the 28-14 lead at halftime.

Marshall County’s shooting improved in the second half, hitting nearly 60 percent (10-of-17) of their field goals. The Marshals shot 20-of-42 on the night.

Following back and forth scoring to open the third, the Marshals stretched their lead with a 10-1 run. Murray’s Jordan Benton hit 1-of-2 from the charity stripe to end the run. Wilson finished off the quarter with his third 3-pointer of the night as Marshall County led 44-25.

Things didn’t improve for the Tigers through the final frame. Marshall slowed the tempo and controlled scoring to stay ahead of the visitors. Murray’s biggest threat through the final frame was guard Jarvae Langford. The senior hit 5-of-7 free throws and a basket for seven of Murray’s 16 points in the fourth.

Head coach Gus Gillespie kept a steady rotation of players through the final few minutes.

Marshall County improved to 5-0, while Murray fell to 3-2. Atkinson and Clark led the Marshals with 16 each, while Langford led all scorers with 19 points.