Marshals play Hickman in region first round Thursday
By Caitlin Wardlow
Tribune-Courier Reporter
DRAFFENVILLE – The Marshals captured their fifth consecutive 4th District Tournament Championship after beating Calloway County 61-52 Thursday night.
Cory York started off the game with a field goal and on his heels was Calloway County’s Tyrell Willis who was able to make his first field goal.
The Lakers’ biggest lead of the game came with two minutes left in the first quarter when George Garner scored a field goal to send CCHS ahead 10-6. The lead was gone two minutes later when Denver Seay and Josh Madding scored back-to-back layups.
“I thought our intensity was great,” MCHS associate coach Ron Winemiller said. “I thought we guarded really, really well. We just couldn’t get a rebound. We got killed on the glass; [Tyrell] Willis was the man on the glass and we couldn’t get to it. Some of that was our fault but a lot of it was just his determination to go get the ball.”
The first three quarters of the contest were close; the Marshals were ahead 13-12 at the end of the first quarter, both teams were tied 24-24 at halftime, and tied again 38-38 at the end of the third quarter.
Senior Travis Spiceland opened up the fourth quarter with a two-point jumper. Scott McKenty then scored his own two points with a field goal, followed by a steal and a second field goal.
Winemiller said he views Spiceland as the leader of the team and said he still remembers his three-point field goal he hit against Calloway three years ago.
“I told him [Wednesday] at practice,” Winemiller said, “that I still remember when he was a little scrawny freshman when he hit that three against Calloway right in front of our bench as the third quarter ended. It sure doesn’t seem like he’s played three more years.”
Spiceland said pressure situations like hitting four free throws in a row Thursday night don’t get to him anymore.
“I shoot so many.” Spiceland said. “I guess I just don’t think about it that much.”
MCHS was on a 7-0 run in the fourth quarter when Willis made the first bucket of the quarter for the Lakers with 5:24 left on the clock.
Willis scored again and cut the Marshals’ lead to 45-42.
The Marshals shot almost 90 percent from the free throw line and were able to make all 11 of their free throws in the last five minutes of the game.
Although Calloway County scored two baskets in a row around the one minute mark, the Marshals were able to send Spiceland to the line to secure their win.
“He’s our leader,” Winemiller said. “He’s the guy that’s been out there and he’s been in all kinds of situations – blow outs and wins, close games, and games where we’ve gotten a blown out. He knows what to expect, and he’s the guy we want to put the ball in his hands at the end of the game and expect him to win it.”
Spiceland said the team were going to focus on blocking out against the Lakers and not let their size intimidate the Marshals.
“Our game plan was to block out better,” Spiceland said. “Last time [Calloway] killed us on the offensive boards. And we don’t want to let their size overwhelm us.”
After winning the game 61-52, the Marshals headed to the locker room, trophy in hand, to celebrate the victory and prepare for the 1st Region tournament.
Winemiller said the Marshals have some things they need to work on before heading to the region tournament next week at the Regional Special Events Center.
“What still gives us problems is our half court game,” Winemiller said. “We have to get better on our half court execution to be able to score without playing all 94 feet.”
Sidelines: Marshall senior Travis Spiceland has experienced high-pressure postseason basketball in several venues, but Reed Conder Gymnasium is his favorite.
“It’s a great atmosphere,” Spiceland said. “Anybody would love to play in a gym like this in Marshall County; it never gets old.”
Marshall County 61,
Calloway County 52
Thursday @ Draffenville
Marshall County 13 11 14 23
Calloway County 12 12 14 14
TEAM STATS
Shooting
Overall: MC 45.5% (20/44)
CC 40.0% (21/52)
3-pointers: MC 33.3% (4/12) CC 21.4% (3/14)
Free throws: MC 89.5% (17/19)
CC 70% (7/10)
Turnovers MC 10
CC 16
Rebounds: MC 25 (Holland 8)
CC 33 (Willis 12)
Assists: MC 10 (McKenty 5)
CC 3 (Simmons 2)
Blocks: MC 4 (Madding 2)
CC 4 (Thompson/Willis
2)
Steals: MC 11 (McKenty 6)
CC 3 (Thompson 2)
Fouls: MC 14
CC 15
Fouled out: MC - none
CC - none
