Warriors lose heartbreaker to Herington
"Heartbreaking" is the best way to describe the loss the Marion High School boys basketball team took Friday in Herington, 52-53.
"It just made us sick," said Warrior head coach Rex Ostmeyer. "We were ahead the whole game, until we got behind one point at the end of the third quarter.
"Then we were ahead by seven points with four minutes left. We didn't executive on offense. We didn't score and they hit a couple shots they had to hit to win," the coach said.
A foul call on Marion in the last second of the game decided the outcome when the call resulted in completed free throws for Herington.
"It was one of those situations where our guy was doing all he could. He only tried to draw the foul and the whole outcome of the game was decided by a free throw," the coach said.
"For three quarters we were the better team. Despite the fact it was on their home court, it was their homecoming and they were undefeated. We were better than we've been all year," he said. "We played great for 28 minutes and played lousy for four minutes."
The Warriors only scored five points in the fourth quarter as compared to the Railers 11.
"We were ahead and we just got shaky," the coach said. "In each of these close games we've had I can point to the exact time when we get shaky and quit doing the good things."
The Warriors were set to meet Wichita Trinity Tuesday and Wichita Collegiate Friday.
Ostmeyer said the Warriors would have a good chance if they continued to play tough.
"If we play the way we're capable of playing, we'll win," he said.
Marion - 52, Herington - 53
Marion 21 14 12 5 — 52
Herington 22 8 12 11 — 53
Total points — Brian Bina, 11; Clayton Chamberland, 2; Jared Hett, 4; Jason Matz, 12; Matt Rhodes, 5; Tyler Stubenhofer, 6; Joel Versch, 4; Alan Vogel, 8.
Total rebounds — Bina, 3; Chamberland, 1; Matz, 3; Eric Smith, 1; Stubenhofer, 1; Versch, 4; Vogel, 5.
Steals — Bina, 2; Chamberland, 1; Hett, 1; Stubenhofer, 2; Versch, 1.
Assists — Bina, 3; Hett, 2; Stubenhofer, 1; Versch, 2.
