By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT
Hays Post Sports
PLAINVILLE – The TMP-Marian Monarchs boys basketball team is headed back to the Mid-Continent League tournament championship for the first time since 2023, while the TMP girls fell short, losing in the tournament semifinals.
GIRLS: No. 1 Hoxie 54, No. 5 TMP 25
The TMP girls shot just 17 percent from the floor, and Hoxie used a 14-3 run to close out the first quarter, and they never trailed in a 54-25 loss.
Hoxie’s Evie Schippers scored the game's first seven points and led all scorers with 26 in the game. She scored eight in the first half and 10 total points in the second quarter.
Down 7-0, the Monarchs answered with seven straight, tying the game at 7, but the Indians finished the first quarter on a 5-2 run and led 12-9.
The Monarchs were held to just three points, all from the free-throw line, in the second quarter, while Hoxie outscored TMP 15-3 in the quarter and built a 27-12 halftime lead.
Hoxie continued to build on its lead in the third quarter, and with a running clock in the fourth quarter, it secured the 54-25 victory.
TMP’s Raegan Allen finished with eight points, and Bria Windholz finished with seven points and seven rebounds.
Hoxie will take on Oakley in the championship game on January 31, at 1 p.m in Plainville. Oakley deafeated Trego 48-41.
BOYS: TMP 59, Phillipsburg 45
The TMP boys used a 16-6 run to end the first quarter and begin the second quarter to secure a 59-45 victory and secure their spot in the MCL tournament champion game for the first time since 2023.
Ty Schmeidler knocked down a three-pointer to open the game for TMP. He went on to score a game-high 20 points to lead the way for TMP.
The Monarchs outscored Phillipsburg 21-13 in the second quarter and had a 34-22 halftime lead.
Phillipsburg closed within three in the third quarter, but Schmeidler connected on his fifth three-pointer of the game, giving TMP room to breathe and a 37-33 lead.
The Monarch converted on 9-of-13 from the free line in the final quarter on their way to the 59-45 win.
They will take on Plainville in the championship game at approximately 2:30 p.m. next Saturday, Jan. 20
The Cardinals were 63-33 winners over the top-seed Plainville.