Victory comes despite another player missing game with illness

By Justin McGill
Tribune-Courier Managing Editor
jmcgill@tribunecourier.com

MURRAY – The Lady Marshals’ 18-9 record might seem like a disappointment during any other season, but in context, it’s a positive mark this year.

Friday, Marshall County breezed past Murray 53-28 while senior guard Karra Fisk sat out with illness. Injury and sickness have haunted the Lady Marshals all season, leading to season-long instability in the lineup.

“[Thursday] at practice, four were making up tests and one was out sick, so we didn’t have five of our top seven there,” MCHS head coach Howard Beth said. “It gets your rhytmn off. Tonight, we had easy shots and missed some, and they dropped their heads a little bit.”

After allowing a Haley Armstrong three-pointer to start the game, the Lady Marshals outscored Murray 15-6.

The Lady Tigers drove the ball into the lane time after time with little success.

“They were a little out of control on the drive,” Beth said. “We just moved our feet and stayed in front of them, and there was nothing they could do.”

A three-pointer by Laken Tabor ended the first quarter and sparked an 11-0 run that put MCHS comfortably in control. MCHS led 32-15 at halftime, but the Lady Marshals started slow in the second half.

“In the second half, we forced the ball too much and made too many turnovers,” Beth said. “The effort was good, but the execution wasn’t.”

Murray outscored MCHS 8-7 in the third quarter, but a three-pointer by Ashley Smith opened the fourth quarter and got the Lady Marshals back on track.

Beth said he hopes his players start to show more emotion on the floor soon with the 4th District Tournament approaching.

“We need to get some intensity,” Beth said. “They have to get more excited about playing, and I don’t know how you do that. We need someone on the floor to get everyone excited and make good decisions. It’s not a matter of effort, but I want more emotion. When they make a stop or get a rebound, I want that emotion. Jump up and shoot it like you think it’s going in. Don’t just throw it up and hope.”

The Lady Marshals host Mayfield on Friday and then travel to Paducah Tilghman on Saturday for their final game of the regular season.

Marshall County 53,
Murray High 28
Friday @ Murray

Marshall County 15 17 7 14
Murray High 9 6 8 5

TEAM STATS
Shooting
Overall: MC 40.4% (21/52)
MH 22.9% (8/35)
3-pointers: MC 26.7% (4/15) MH 27.3% (3/11)
Free throws: MC 70% (7/10)
MH 56.3% (9/16)

Turnovers MC 17
MH 20
Rebounds: MC 45 (Smith 11)
MH 21 (McClure 9)
Assists: MC 17 (Gilland/Thomas 4)
MH 4
Blocks: MC 14 (Holder 7)
MH 3
Steals: MC 15 (Ellis 4)
MH 9 (Le. Dieleman 4)
Fouls: MC 18
MH 7
Fouled out: MC - none
MH - none

INDIVIDUAL STATS
MC: Gilland 2-5 (1-4) 5; Tabor 2-8 (1-6) 5; Thomas 1-5 2; Ellis 5-6 10; Lawson 1-2 2; Holder 6-12 (1-2) 5-7 18; Bohannon 1-2 2; Smith3-9 (1-3) 2-2 9

MH: Armstrong 5-16 (2-8) 12; Benson 0-4 2-2 2; Sa. Crouch 1-2 2-2 4; La. Dieleman 0-0 1-2 1; Le. Dieleman 2-5 (1-2) 5; McClure 0-7 3-5 3; Sh. Crouch 0-0 1-2 1