PLAINVILLE – The TMP-Marian Monarchs boys and girls basketball teams will both play for seventh place at the MCL tournament Saturday after they dropped a pair of consolation semifinal games on Friday in Plainville.
GIRLS: Trego 54, TMP 46
The TMP Lady Monarchs (4-8) overcame a 15-0 deficit and led by as many as six in the second half only to see Trego rally in the fourth quarter in a 54-46 victory.
It took both offenses several minutes to get going Friday afternoon in Plainville before Trego broke on to the scoreboard with four and a half minute to play with a pair of free throws.
The Golden Eagles (6-3) outscored TMP 13-2 over the next four plus minutes and led 15-2 at the end of the first quarter.
The led again by 15, at 17-2 to open the second quarter before TMP’s Shalee Gottschalk connected on a three pointer, the Monarchs first field goal of the game early in the second quarter.
Trego controlled the first half only to see the Monarchs close within five at halftime thanks to a 13-4 run making it 25-20 Trego.
TMP’s Brooke Koenigsman closed the first half with a three and then scored eight straight to start the second half, helping TMP erase the deficit and take a one-point lead 28-27.
TMP outscored Trego 20-9 in the third quarter and took their largest lead at 37-29 in the third quarter, before taking a six-point lead into the fourth.
But the lead was short-lived. Trego opened the fourth quarter on a 9-0 run and took the lead back for good. They outscored TMP 20-6 in the fourth quarter and pulled away for the 54-46 win.
Koenigsman’s 18 points led all scorers.
TMP will now face Oakley in the girls seventh place game at approximately 11:30 a.m. Saturday at Plainville High School. Ellis beat Oakley in the other girls consolation semifinals.
Boys: Ellis 50, TMP 39
The TMP Monarchs (4-8) could never solve the Ellis zone and struggle to one of their worth shooting performances as they drop a MCL tournament consolation matchup against the Ellis Railers Friday 50-39.
Ellis opened the game on a 10-3 run and led after the first quarter 12-7.
TMP scored on a pair of three pointers in the first quarter and a free throw.
Ellis (4-7) opened the second quarter on their biggest lead of the first half at 23-16 but the Monarchs came storming back with an 8-0 capped the third three of the first half for Caden Dinkel that put TMP up 24-23.
Ellis though took the led right back on the next possession and never trailed again.
The Monarchs were able to close within one at the end of the third and Dinkel’s fourth three pointer of the game but Ellis outscored TMP 22-12 in the final frame on their way to the 11—point victory.
Dinkel led TMP with 11 points.
The Monarchs will take on Trego at approximately 1 p.m. Saturday in the boys 7th place game. Trego came up short against Russell 51-43.