Warriors drop pair at Inman

Just as 2019 ended, 2020 was off to a similar start Friday, with the Warriors dropping a pair of games at Inman. 

The girls had an easier time than the boys did, but it wasn’t enough to prevent a 41-28 loss, dropping Marion to 1-6 on the season. 

Offensive production has been a bugaboo for the boys team, and the new year brought no changes in that regard with Inman prevailing easily, 67-24, keeping the Warriors still in search of their first win. 

The Warriors returned to action Jan. 14 when Berean Academy visits Marion Aquatics Center. 

Girls doomed by slow start

With scoring such a challenge for Marion, the Warriors’ best chance to keep games from quickly unraveling is with a fast start and staying close. 

That was easier said than done Friday, though, with Inman sprinting to a 16-4 lead after the first quarter and a 24-11 edge at halftime. 

The two teams had fits trying to get the lid off the basket the third quarter, with Inman mustering just two field goals.

But Marion got one less, falling behind 30-14 heading down the final stretch ending with a 41-28 loss for the Warriors.

The quick start the Warriors needed early finally came in the fourth quarter with Chloe Burkholder burying two of her three triples to help Marion outscore Inman 14-11. 

The damage was done early despite a team-high 10 points from Burkholder, as Marion hit just six field goals on the night, and four 3-pointers.

Boys remain winless

The same slow start that hampered the girls did the boys, too, putting Marion behind the 8 ball early, facing a 15-3 deficit after the first quarter.  

What it ended with was a season-low 24 points. 

The game got no better as it wore on with Inman building a commanding 34-10 halftime lead. 

The deficit was far too deep for the Warriors to overcome with woes taking care of the ball and scoring hindering them from ever posing a threat. 

Marion got a combined 17 points from Luke Dawson and Seth Lanning with nine and eight, but that didn’t do much to quell the Teuton onslaught. 

Inman’s balanced attack included three in double figures, with Teuton players going for 15, 12, and 10 points. 

Outside the Dawson-Lanning tandem, Marion got a combined 7 points from three other players, suffering through another 3-point quarter in the fourth. 

Inman stretched the lead to 53-21 to start the fourth quarter, mercifully kicking in the running clock to make for a short ending to the rough outing. 

The loss drops Marion to 0-7.