By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT
Hays Post
HAYS – The TMP-Marian Monarchs earned a doubleheader split with the Oakley Plainsman Monday, with the TMP girls coming up short in overtime while the boys pulled away for a big win at Al Billinger Fieldhouse.
GIRLS: Oakley 55, TMP 49 OT
The TMP Lady Monarchs (11-9, 5-4 MCL) held Oakley scoreless in
the fourth quarter. They rallied from down 14 in the second half but came up short
55-49 in overtime.
The two teams to teams traded the lead back and forth seven times over the first four and a half minutes of the game, with TMP’s Brooke Koenigsman and Oakley Jade Beckman going toe-to-toe.
Beckman scored 13 of her 15 points in the first quarter, and Koenigsman scored nine of her game-high 20 points in the opening frame.
Oakley (14-5, 7-3 MCL) pulled away toward the end of the first quarter and led after one 20-13.
The Monarchs briefly cut the Oakley lead to two in the opening minutes of the second quarter, but Oakley had a 27-23 lead at halftime.
Oakley took advantage of the Monarch's inability to rebound the ball on the defensive side of the ball in the third quarter and built a 14-point lead late in the third, 47-33.
A Gracyn Schipper field goal just before time expired in the third quarter cut the Oakley lead to 47-35 and sparked the Monarchs to a 12-0 fourth-quarter run, tying the game at 47 and forcing overtime.
In the extra frame, Schippers gave the Monarchs the 49-47 lead with three minutes and 25 seconds to play in overtime.
But on the next Oakley possession, Emma Mandeville sank a left baseline three, putting Oakley back on time 50-49, and they held on for the 55-49 victory.
Koenigsman and Gracyn Schippers finished in double-figures for the Monarchs. With 20 for Koenigsman and Schippers added a career-high 15 points and six rebounds.
BOYS: TMP 64, Oakley 36
The TMP boys built a first-half double-figure lead, and Will
Eck poured in a career-high 24 points on six three-pointers as the Monarchs cruised
to a 64-36 victory.
Eck knocked down three straight first-quarter three-pointers as the Monarchs built a 13-4 first-quarter lead. The Monarchs extended that lead to 11 at 21-10.
Oakley then outscored TMP over the final eight seconds of the first quarter and the entire second quarter 13-5, cutting the TMP lead to 26-23 at halftime.
But once again, Eck jump-started the offense in the second half. Eck scored 15 of his 24 points in the third quarter, as TMP outscored Oakley 25-2 and led 51-25 heading into the final quarter.
The Monarchs went on to pick up the 64-36 victory.
Eck’s 24 led all scorers, and Ian Nehls added seven rebounds for TMP.
The Monarchs will close out the regular season Friday night at home for senior night against the Norton Bluejays.