Staff writer
The Lady Warriors ended up on the winning side of a close game against Riley County Tuesday, coming out on top, 43-39.
The Warriors led the game, 24-16, at halftime but started to deteriorate at the beginning of the third quarter.
The Warriors committed a rash of turnovers and even held onto the ball for several seconds during one possession before starting their offense.
Lindsay Hett and Julia Zeiner plugged the leaking holes in the Warrior offense. Hett, in a three-play succession, scored a put-back layup, blocked a Falcon shot out of bounds, and hit a 3-pointer.
Zeiner got hot from the outside. She hit three 3-pointers in the second half including one that put the Warriors up 35-27, a lead the Warriors would not relinquish despite an 8-0 run by Riley County to put the Falcons within two points with 1:04 left in the game.
Bridget Lundy iced the game by hitting two free throws to give the Warriors the final lead, 43-39.
“It was a win, but it was ugly,” Marion head coach Randy Savage said.
The girls team will take on Thomas More Prep at 6:30 p.m. Thursday.
Girls defeat Hoisington, 62-46
The Warrior offense was operating on all cylinders Friday in a 62-46 win over Hoisington.
Six Warriors recorded multiple assists in the contest. Julia Zeiner had the most helpers with five and Lindsay Hett and Whitney Gordon were right behind her with four each.
Against the Cardinal zone defense, the Warriors passed efficiently from the high post to cutting guards and forwards on the block. Like a well-oiled machine, if a Warrior forward received a pass at the free-throw line, the ball would likely end up in the bottom of the net for two points.
“We run our zone offense well,” Hett said. “If we’re throwing those assists, it shows the other team we’re coming at them.”
Hett was the catalyst of the Warriors offensive explosion. She grabbed 11 steals to start the Marion transition game and she has been looking for her shot more on offense over the past two games. She was the second leading scorer for the Warriors Friday with 19 points. She scored 26 against Haven Jan. 12.
Zeiner scored 21 points to lead all scorers.
“Those girls want the ball,” Marion head coach Randy Savage said of Hett, Zeiner, and Kayley Heerey. “They hunt it out.”
The Warriors started the game slowly but stopped shooting as many 3-pointers to eventually pull away from the Cardinals. The Warriors only shot two of 15 from behind the arc for the game but shot 13 threes in the first half. Marion consistently attacked the basket in the second half to shoot 70 percent from the field.
The Warriors also continue to improve their man-to-man defense. Along with Hett’s 11 steals, Julia Zeiner had five thefts and Kayley Heerey had four.
“It’s fun to watch them get better,” Savage said.