Had 12-point lead in fourth quarter
News editor
The Marion Warriors boys’ basketball team held a 12-point lead over the Inman Teutons at the beginning of the fourth quarter on Tuesday, but the lead evaporated and the game went into overtime tied at 43.
“We were playing well, but then we stopped playing so well,” Marion head coach Jeff McMillin said. “We shied away from playing under pressure to win.
“Not meeting passes, just hoping the seconds would melt away fast enough to win,” he added.
The Warriors got back to playing the way they should in overtime, but by then the game was a toss-up, McMillin said.
A pair of free throws by Jordan Hett gave Marion a two-point lead with 56 seconds left in overtime, but Inman tied the game again at 47. Jacob Harper was unable to make a tough turn-around jump shot when Marion inbounded the ball with 3.7 seconds left, and the game went to a second overtime.
Wiley Lundy started the second overtime off right for the Warriors, grabbing two tough contested defensive rebounds and scoring after grabbing an offensive rebound.
An Inman three-pointer gave the Teutons the lead again, 50-49. Marion retook the lead with a pair of free throws by Hett, but Inman made another three to make the score 53-51, Inman.
Hett then answered with a three-pointer of his own to give Marion a one-point lead. An Inman basket with 10.7 seconds left put Marion behind again.
Hett missed a jump shot after driving the length of the court, and Inman extended its lead to 56-54 after a foul on the rebound. Hett led all scorers in the game with 25 points.
Marion had the length of the court to go in 2.1 seconds out of a time out. Hett missed a three-pointer that would have won the game coming off a screen on the right side. McMillin said the play unfolded how it was designed.
“That was probably as good a shot as you’ll get with two seconds,” he said.
Hett led Marion in scoring with 25. Harper had 11; Zac Robson, 8; Austin Pedersen, 3; Timothy Knolla, 3; Lundy, 2; and Ethan Hett, 2.
Marion’s next game is Friday at Bennington. The team ends the regular season Tuesday at home against Trinity Catholic of Hutchinson.