MURRAY – The Marshall County High School boys’ basketball team’s winning season ended Monday night at the Regional Special Events Center in Murray.
The Marshals lost to Paducah Tilghman 61-57 in the semifinal round of the 1st Region Tournament.
The Marshals got into foul trouble with three of their starters early in the game and were never able to gain the lead.
Senior Cory York picked up his second foul less than three minutes into the first quarter and after a second double-dribble call by the officials, the Marshals were forced to take a timeout.
“We had terrible foul trouble,” head coach Gus Gillespie said. “We had different combinations out on the floor and that hurt us from a continuity stand-point.”
The Paducah Tilghman Blue Tornado were up 8-0 when Logan Holland got an offensive rebound and made a layup, scoring the Marshals first points with 3:37 left in the first quarter.
“We never got to implement our game plan,” Gillespie said. “What hurt us was a bad start and I feel like that was the difference in the game. They got up 8-to-nothing and we never could get the ball to do what we wanted. We never had a lead. If we get the lead up, we change the complexion of the game and that just simply didn’t happen for us.”
The Marshals opened the second quarter with a three-point field goal by Josh Madding with an assist by York. Then Scott McKenty made a steal, shot for two, was blocked, got his own rebound, shot again and was fouled. He made one of two free-throws to bring the Marshals within five points with the score 15-10.
Stephen Barga drove into the lane at the end of the second quarter and drew a foul. He shot one of two and the Marshals ended the first half down 26-22.
MCHS came within one point of the Blue Tornado – the closest the Marshals would come – after a play two minutes into the third quarter that sent Marshal fans to their feet.
Travis Spiceland shot a three-point field goal and missed, but Holland got the rebound, and bounce-passed the ball to York who made a three-pointer and brought the score to 26-25.
Tilghman’s Stefon Perry made a two-point field goal and Holland and York tried twice to set up the same play as before, both to no avail.
Perry made another field goal before McKenty made a three-pointer and brought the Marshals within two points.
The third quarter ended with a three-point field goal by Tilghman with three seconds left on the clock.
The fourth quarter played out a lot like the first three, except that with 2:42 left in the game, the Blue Tornado scored another field goal which resulted in an 11-point lead – their largest of the game.
But Madding proved that the Marshals weren’t giving up yet when he scored a three-pointer nine seconds later.
Holland fouled out of the game with two minutes left and the Marshals down 57-58.
With one minute left, Spiceland hit a three-pointer and the Marshals then started fouling the Blue Tornado. Tilghman missed all four of their next four free throws.
Madding fouled out with 45 seconds left, followed by Tilghman’s Isaac McClure missing a layup.
Spiceland again hit a three-pointer and brought the Marshals within five points at 59-54 with 30 seconds to go.
York fouled out a few seconds later after fouling a Blue Tornado who missed his free throws.
The next two Tilghman free throws went in the basket however, and Tanner Wilson’s three-pointer with seven seconds left wasn’t enough to win the game.
Gillespie said he felt bad for the team, especially the seniors, because of all the team had been through.
“From Nov. 30, they’ve had nothing but adjustments and changes,” Gillespie said. “They’ve dealt with a lot of adversity the entire season and they’ve had a tremendous season.”
Associate coach Ron Winemiller said last month that the team’s ultimate goal was to play in the State Tournament at Rupp Arena. That won’t be happening for the Marshals now, but Gillespie said he can’t think of a team who deserved that more.
“I told them there’s probably never been another team that I feel as much like deserved to put their shoes on Rupp Arena than this team, and it just didn’t happen,” Gillespie said. “It’s a life lesson. Life’s not fair sometimes. I feel that way from a personal stand-point and now from a coaching stand-point. Just a few things needed to go our way tonight, and it didn’t happen, and it seems like it hasn’t happened against Tilghman. I’m just going to miss this bunch, this special bunch.”
Paducah Tilghman 61,
Marshall County 57
Monday @ Murray
