WAKEENEY – The TMP-Marian Monarchs used a pair of double-digit runs and ran their win streak over Russell to 10 straight with a 50-36 win over the Broncos Friday in the MCL tournament semifinals.
Russell (7-5) scored the games first five points while TMP (7-2) opened the game 0-5 from the floor but Luke Rome scored six straight to put TMP up 6-0 and he scored 12 of his game and career-high 19 in the first quarter as the Monarchs built a 15-7 lead heading into the second quarter.
A three pointer by Kade Harris and a Rome bucket gave TMP their largest lead of the first half at 22-8. But Russell was able to cut the 14 point deficit in half with a 7-0 run to end the half.
Russell closed within five early in the third quarter at 25-20 but TMP outscored Russell 13-3 the rest of the way for a 38-23 lead.
Russell trimmer the TMP lead to 11 on two separate occasions in the fourth quarter but the Monarchs proved to be too much in the 50-34 win.
Rome recorded his first double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds and Dylan Werth added 15 points and 10 rebounds.
The Monarchs will take on Hill City in the MCL tournament title game Monday in WaKeeney.
The league moved the tournament games back a day because of the possibility of winter weather impacting the region.
They will play the boy and girls 1st and 3rd place games in WaKeeney and the 5th and 7th place games in Norton. Still no word on the location for the 9th and 11th place games.