– Ann Beckett/Tribune-Courier || (Above) Chase York takes aim over a pack of Paducah Tilghman defenders. York had four points in the Marshals' 64-57 First Region loss.

Season Ender

Marshals cut 16-point
deficit but fall short in
First Region rally

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

CALLOWAY COUNTY– Entering Monday’s First Region semifinal, the crystal ball was anything but clear. Marshall County and Paducah Tilghman had split their regular season meetings– an 8-point loss for the Marshals Jan. 23 followed by a 91-76 win five nights later at home. The offensive onslaught was Marshall County’s highest of the season.

Monday night, the Marshals fell short in repeating their Jan. 28 win. The Marshals fell 64-57 Monday night, ending their season in the semifinal round of the First Region tournament.

The Marshals opened the game with two from the stripe by Andrew Edwards. Stephen Atkinson followed it up with a basket to lead 4-0. Tilghman answered back , led by John Forrest. The Tornado tied the game at four. A bucket by Stephen Atkinson gave the Marshals back the lead briefly before a 3-point basket by Trevonte Cole gave Tilghman its first lead of the night 7-6. The Tornadoes would keep the lead to the break, heading into the second quarter up 11-6.

The Marshals continued to fall behind to start the second frame as Tilghman pulled away 15-8. A pair of 3-pointers by Tanner Wilson and aggressive play by Atkinson pulled the Marshals back into the contest. Cole Nelson hit a trey with a minute to go to get within four points at 20-16. Marshall and Tilghman traded baskets in the final minute with the Tornadoes going into the half with a 22-18 lead.

Things only got worse for the Marshals after the break. The two teams battled to 28-22 through the first three minutes, but a basket by Jadarian Harmon with just over four minutes remaining started a 10-2 run through the final minute. Blake Clark hit a basket with 14 seconds remaining to end the run, but trailed 38-26 at the buzzer.

Tilghman extended the lead to their largest of the night 42-26 in the opening minute of the final stanza. The Marshals increased their pressure, but also increased their fouls, racking up 19 by the six minute mark.

The increased fouls worked for the Marshals as they slowly began to chip away at the lead through the fourth quarter. The Marshals would get as close 59-55 following a pair of free throws by Blake Clark, but would get no further. Tilghman pulled away over the last minute, extending their lead from the charity stripe for a 64-57 final score.

Atkinson led the Marshals with 18 points. Tanner Wilson (12) and Clark (14) were also in double digit scoring for the Marshals. The Marshals hit 19-of-47 from the field and 13-of-17 free throws.

Tilghman entered the tournament Second District champions, defeating Heath for the title. The Pirates used a win over Fulton County in the opening round of the tournament to advance to Monday’s second semifinal match against Graves County. The Eagles had made it to the semifinals by eliminating Calloway County in the tournament’s lowest scoring contest, 34-23. Results of the Graves-Heath game were unavailable as of presstime.

Tilghman will battle the winner of the second semifinal game tonight (Tuesday) at 7 p.m. for the First Region championship and a trip to the state tournament.