The TMP-Marian Monarchs used a 12-2 run to get out to a quick start and then put together a 16-3 third quarter run to put away the Minneapolis Lions 68-51 in the 3A Norton sub-state championship game Saturday.
TMP (20-4) wasted no time Saturday in getting out to a quick start. After the game was tied at four Bryce Seib converted a three-point play and Jackson Schulte scored five in-a-row to put TMP up 12-4.
After the Lions closed within two, Gavin Unrein record his first bucket and Schulte knocked down his second three of the quarter to put TMP up 17-10 at the end of one.
A Lucas Lang three pointer in the second quarter gave TMP a 10-point lead at 26-16. But each time TMP built a double-digit lead Minneapolis was able to close the gap. TMP led 29-23 through two quarters.
TMP opened the second half on a 9-1 run capped off by a Lang three-point play to put TMP up 38-24. The Monarchs followed that with an 11-2 run to take a 49-28 lead.
After sitting the entire second quarter with foul trouble, TMP's Dylan Werth scored 9 of his 17 points in the third as TMP built a 56-34 lead.
Werth added six more points in the fourth quarter as TMP maintained a 23-point lead for most of the quarter on their way to the 68-51 win.
Jackson Schulte led all scorers with 20 points for TMP. Dylan Werth added 17 points and Lucas Lang scored 15 points.
TMP will travel to Hugoton on Tuesday to take on the Eagles in the first-round of the 3A state tournament.