Exciting finish leads to Warrior win
The Marion High School boys basketball game with Council Grove Dec. 20 was "a tale of two halves," said head coach Rex Ostmeyer.
Yet, despite the problems, the MHS boys managed to hang on for the win, 58-56.
"The first half we turned over the ball 14 times but still had the lead at the half," Ostmeyer said. "In the second half, we let them have too many offensive rebounds.
"We didn't do a very good job taking care of the ball," he said.
The Warriors won the game at the free throw line sinking 18 out of 21 attempts for 85.7 percent.
"Brian Bina was eight for nine and Jason Matz was nine for 10," Ostmeyer said. "They really did a good job for us at the free throw line."
The Warriors had a bad stretch in the second half when a questionable call by an official led to a series of events which almost caused a Marion loss.
An official called a blocking foul on a Marion player after first calling a charging foul against Council Grove. A Marion player reacted, garnering a technical foul from the official.
"That let Council Grove get back in the game," Ostmeyer said. "They were within one point at one time. They actually had the ball, and missed the shot with four seconds left. And Jason (Matz) got a big rebound for us.
"It was a pretty exciting finish," the coach said.
The win against Council Grove put the Warriors record at 2-0 in Cottonwood Valley League action as they headed into the Christmas holiday break, and 2-4 overall.
The Warriors resume action Jan. 7 at home when they meet Sacred Heart, another CVL team which is also 2-0 in league play.
"They're a good team. I think we match up well," Ostmeyer said. "It should be a good game."
Marion - 58, COUNCIL GROVE - 56
Marion 10 19 5 14 — 58
Council Grove 13 9 19 15 — 56
Total points — Brian Bina, 13; Clayton Chamberland, 3; Mitch Enos, 5; Jared Hett, 3; Jason Matz, 16; Matt Rhodes, 4; Eric Smith, 2; Tyler Stubenhofer, 2; Joel Versch, 6; Alan Vogel, 4.
Total rebounds — Bina,1; Chamberland, 1; Enos, 2; Hett, 2; Matz, 9; Stubenhofer, 2; Versch, 2; Vogel, 8.
Steals — Bina, 3; Hett, 2; Stubenhofer, 1.
Assists — Bina, 2; Chamberland, 1; Hett, 3; Matz, 1; Rhodes, 1; Stubenhofer, 1; Versch, 2; and Vogel, 1.
