HAYS – Both the TMP-Marian boys and girls basketball teams opened the Mid-Continent League portion of the their season with win over Hill City Friday at Al Billinger Fieldhouse.
Girls: TMP 59, Hill City 35
The TMP (2-2, 1-0 MCL) girls used a pair of big scoring runs
and senior Sophia Balthazor matched her career-high with 20 points as the
Monarchs knocked off Hill City (0-2, 0-2 MCL) 59-35.
Trailing 3-1, following an early three from Hill City TMP strung together a 10-0 run capped off by a Balthazor three-pointer to go up 11-3. TMP led by the 15-8 margin at the end of the first quarter.
Balthazor knocked down back-to-back three pointers to open the second quarter as TMP stretched the lead to 21-8. Hill City cut the TMP lead back to nine at 21-12 but TMP was able to add onto their lead and took a 14-point lead into halftime at 30-16.
In the third quarter TMP outscored Hill City 18-7 as they extended their lead to 48-23 at the end of the third quarter.
An 11-1 fourth quarter run pushed the TMP lead past 30 points and with the running back they went on to the 59-35 victory.
Balthazor finished with four three-pointers and a game-high 20 points. Emilee Lane added 15 points and 10 rebounds for her first double-double of the season and Kassidi Yost added 11 points.
Boys: TMP 64, Hill City 46
The TMP boys showed off their inside attack in the first
half and used the three-point shot in the second half to knock off Hill City
64-46.
TMP (2-2, 1-0 MCL) opened the first quarter on a 12-4 run with all 12 points coming from the inside with Gavin Unrein, Jace Wentling and Dylan Werth all accounting for four points in-a-row.
The Monarchs were able to extend their lead to 18-7 at the end of the first quarter with all 18 points coming from in close.
Bryce Seib’s first three-pointer of the season was the first jump shot TMP of the first half as the Monarchs built a 25-8 lead. TMP led 27-13 halftime lead.
Unrein opened the second half with a three-pointer and Kenton Ginther followed that with nine straight points as the Monarchs built a 38-15 lead. In all the Monarchs combined to hit seven three pointers in the third quarter and took a 54-27 lead into the fourth quarter.
TMP built a 29-point fourth quarter lead at 59-30 before Hill City (1-1, 1-1 MCL) strung together a 13-0 run cutting the TMP lead to 59-43.
Luke Rome scored five straight points to end the run as the Monarchs went on to the 64-46 win.
Five Monarchs scored in double-figures led by a career-high 11 points each from Luke Rome and Kenton Ginther. Bryce Seib, Gavin Unrein and Jace Wentling all added 10 points apiece. Wentling added 10 rebounds for a double-double.