Marion loses heartbreaker
Marion High School boys' basketball team fell at home Monday 47 to 48 in a first-round sub-state battle against Southeast of Saline.
Southeast of Saline got off to a quick start, leading by seven points in the first quarter, but the Warriors calmed down and cut the score to 23 to 25 at halftime.
At 6:30 in the third, they took the lead on a bucket by Alan Vogel, going up 27 to 25. They held the lead, ending the quarter up 36 to 33.
With the game tied at 38 in the fourth, Southeast appeared to be pulling away. Then a three-point shot by Robert Verbic cut the score to 44 to 47 with 1:20 to go in the game. After a Trojan free-throw, Verbic hit another three-pointer to make the score 47 to 48 with 55 seconds to go.
Marion got the ball with 18.9 seconds to go. Brian Bina closed on the basket win the final seconds, but the Trojan defense closed in and the shot didn't fall.
Vogel led scorers with 11 points. Bina had nine, followed by Braxton Skiles and Verbic, eight each; Keith Dudley, seven; and Jason Matz and Tyler Stubenhofer, two each.
Council Grove
The Warriors were upended Feb. 19 by Council Grove 50 to 56.
Verbic, Bina, and Matz each scored 12 points for Marion.
MHS 50, Council Grove 56
Points — MHS, 50 (Verbic 12. Bina 12. Matz 12. Stubenhofer 7. Vogel 5. Dudley 2). Council Grove, 56.
Two-point goals — MHS, 17-32 (Matz 6-10. Verbic 4-6. Vogel 2-3. Stubenhofer 2-3. Bina 2-4. Dudley 1-3. Skiles 0-3). Council Grove 18-31.
Three-point goals — MHS, 4-10 (Bina 2-4. Stubenhofer 1-2. Verbic 1-4). Council Grove, 3-9.
Free-throws — MHS, 4-12 (Bina 2-2. Vogel 1-2. Verbic 1-4. Skiles 0-2. Stubenhofer 0-2). Council Grove, 11-23.
Offensive rebounds — MHS, 9 (Vogel 3. Bina 2. Verbic 1. Dudley 1. Matz 1. Stubenhofer 1). Council Grove, 12.
Defensive rebounds — MHS, 20 (Skiles 7. Matz 5. Verbic 3. Bina 2. Dudley 1. Stubenhofer 1. Vogel 1). Council Grove, 15.
Assists — MHS, 6 (Bina 2. Verbic 1. Matz 1. Skiles 1. Stubenhofer 1). Council Grove, 7.
Steals — MHS, 9 (Skiles 3. Dudley 2. Verbic 2. Stubenhofer 1. Bina 1). Council Grove, 5.
Blocks — MHS, 3 (Dudley 1. Bina 1. Verbic 1). Council Grove, 1.
Turnovers — MHS, 16. Council Grove, 16.
Personal fouls — MHS, 22. Council Grove, 13.
