News editor
The Marion Warriors girls’ basketball team was without starting guard Kelli Hess against the Inman Teutons on Tuesday, but a total-team effort gave the Warriors a victory, 34-31.
Balee Shiplet started in Hess’ spot. She didn’t score, but coach Kelly Robson said he was proud of her effort, saying she took care of the ball well.
Marion fell behind by five points early as Inman’s 6-foot freshman Naomi Williams scored eight points in the post. Trying to find a way to start the game with more energy, Robson took his players’ suggestion of beginning with a full-court man-to-man defense.
When Williams started the game scoring easily, Robson switched to a zone defense that allowed the Warriors to double-team Williams in the post.
Marion trailed at the end of the first quarter, 10-7. They took the lead early in the second quarter and went into halftime with a 15-13 lead.
The Warriors and Teutons traded the lead back-and-forth in the third quarter, but a left corner three-pointer by Megan Richmond gave Marion a 26-23 lead at the end of the quarter.
Inman trimmed into the lead a couple times in the fourth quarter, but Marion held onto the lead the entire stretch. Inman hadn’t been whistled for many fouls in the second half, so they had to foul three times in a row with less than a minute left to send Marion to the free-throw line.
The Warriors held on to win, 34-31.
Robson said he was happy with the way the team continues to develop late in the season, understanding not only what to do, but why to do it.
“That’s a game we likely don’t win a month ago,” Robson said.
Richmond led Marion in scoring with 9 points. Katey Ehrlich had 6; Erin Meierhoff, 5; Kaelyn Thierolf, 4; Kirsten Hansen, 4; Corey Shields, 4; and Bailey Robson, 2.