Classic curse continues for Warriors
By Eric Clark
Sports Editor
Nobody will talk openly about it, but many are beginning to suspect the Warrior boys' basketball team may be cursed — at least at the Trojan Classic Basketball Tournament in Hillsboro.
The Warriors lost three straight games in the tournament, despite coming into the event with an overall record of 7-2 and being undefeated in the Cottonwood Valley League.
The Warrior performance marks the seventh straight season that the team has played for last place in the tournament.
Marion fell to Hesston Jan. 19 in the opening-round game 59-38, shooting a dismal 27 percent from the field and 10 percent from behind the arc.
The Warriors met up Saturday with a talented Sunrise Christian Academy team that handed Marion a 63-41 loss.
Again, an early offensive drought plagued the Warriors, who managed to score 14 in the first half. Sunrise led at half-time 25-14.
The third quarter marked the eventual doom for the Warriors. Sunrise rattled off 23 points, while Marion managed 15.
By the fourth quarter, the Warriors trailed by 19. The Buffaloes outscored Marion 15-12 in the final period.
Jared Hett led Marion in scoring with 16 points and two rebounds. No other Warrior player scored in double figures.
Belleville
Facing the Belleville Buffaloes, the Warriors were defeated, 52-41.
Marion shot close to 30 percent from the field and 33 percent from the three-point line, improving on their overall percentage from the night before.
However, what the Warrior field goal statistic didn't show was that the Buffaloes held Marion to four points in the first quarter and six points in the second.
At half time, Belleville led by a comfortable 21 points.
In the third and fourth quarter, the Warriors held Belleville to 11 and 10 points respectively, while gaining ground on the 21-point deficit with 14 and 17 in the third and fourth quarters.
The early deficiency was too much for Marion to overcome in the second half, as the Buffaloes took the 11-point win.
Nickolas Hett led the Warriors with 13 points, nine coming from behind the arc. Hett also had two steals, a blocked shot, an assist, and a rebound. Tyler Stubenhofer complemented Hett with 11 points. The senior guard added four rebounds and four steals in the loss.
