Warriors split games with Haven, Halstead
What a difference a few days can make.
The Marion Warrior boys' varsity basketball team used a devastating 23-10 fourth-quarter blitz Feb. 6 to break open a close game and vanquish Haven, 74-57.
Against Halstead Friday, a bittersweet, buzzer-beating Calvin Jeffrey trey was the only Marion fourth-quarter basket, as the Dragons roared from behind in the second half to pin a 45-43 loss on the Warriors.
A highlight reel of the Warriors' victory over Haven would be jammed with three-point salvos, as Marion hit 12-of-22 long-range jumpers during the game, including a record-tying seven by Travis Hett.
Ten of those threes came in the first three quarters, when Marion needed every one to keep the pesky Wildcats at bay.
Wildcat Isiah Barfield, a recent University of Kansas football signee, scored 17 points as Haven used 48 percent shooting to stay within four, 51-47, through three quarters.
In the fourth quarter, Marion fell back on the recipe it used in earlier games to generate big quarters, garnering easy baskets and foul shots from turnovers generated by tough defense.
A Kyle Hett three-pointer at the outset of the period ignited a 12-2 Warrior run over the next four minutes that suddenly gave Marion a comfortable 63-49 edge. Jason Hett, Jeffrey, and Travis Hett all contributed points in the run.
Haven never came closer than 11 points the rest of the game.
Travis Hett's three-point barrage put him atop the Warriors' scoring chart with 28 points, while Jason Hett added 18 and Jeffrey scored 12.
Jason Hett collected seven rebounds for Marion, while Jeffrey dished out 10 assists.
While the teams were almost dead even in field goal percentage for the game, Marion's 54-41 percent advantage in the second half proved to be the difference.
Halstead 45, Marion 43
Marionites learned Friday against Halstead how fans from Lyons must have felt a week earlier, when the Lions gave up a halftime lead to lose against Marion in the Warriors' homecoming game.
The game was tight from the outset, with the teams trading blows in a first quarter marked by seven ties. Travis Hett put the Warriors up 10-8 with four minutes left, but Halstead edged back for a 16-14 lead at the end of the quarter.
The Dragons extended their lead to five, 22-17, on an Austin Ratzlaff field goal at the 5:10 mark. Ratzlaff's basket would prove to be the final points of the half for Halstead.
Jason Hett started the Warriors on the road back with a three at the 4:07 mark, and dropped in two free throws 30 seconds later to tie the score, 22-22. Hett nailed another three with just over a minute left in the half to give Marion the lead, 25-22.
A steal and lay up by Emmanuel Jackson gave Marion a 27-22 halftime edge.
The teams battled evenly throughout the third quarter, as Marion needed an old-fashioned three-point play by Jason Hett at the close of the quarter to take a 40-34 lead to the final period.
Halstead got off to a quick start in the fourth quarter, with a Tyler Armendanz layup and a Corey Wells trey trimming the Marion lead to one, 40-39.
The Dragons failed to take the lead on three consecutive possessions, but with Marion misfiring from all over the floor, Halstead finally went in front, 41-40, when Ratzlaff scored with three minutes remaining.
Neither team scored again until the final 30 seconds of the game, when the Dragons picked up a huge offensive rebound by Armendanz off a missed free throw.
Ratzlaff was fouled eight seconds later by Jason Hett, and sank both charities for a 43-40 lead.
The Warriors tried to work the ball into the lane for a quick basket, but an errant pass resulted in a wild scramble that led to a jump ball call with :08 showing on the clock. Halstead was awarded the ball on the alternating possession.
Halstead picked up two more free throws with six seconds remaining, giving the Dragons an insurmountable five-point lead that Jeffrey cut to two with his meaningless buzzer shot.
Ratzlaff and Jason Hett tied for game-high scoring honors with 18 points each. Jeffrey was the only other Warrior in double figures with 11.
The Warriors were soundly whipped on the boards, as Ratzlaff's 15 caroms sparked Halstead to a 33-24 advantage. Jackson paced Marion rebounders with eight.
