By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT
Hays Post Sports
HAYS – The TMP-Marian Monarchs and Colby Eagles hadn’t squared off on the hardwood since 2015, but Monday night, the atmosphere inside Al Billinger Fieldhouse felt like the two teams picked up right where they left off more than 10 years ago, with both games coming down to the wire.
In the first game of the night, TMP’s Claire Schippers hit a game-winning three-pointer as time expired in a 37-36 victory.
The boys blew an 11-point halftime lead but were forced to rally in a 67-58 win.
GIRLS: TMP 37, Colby 36
Colby jumped out to an early 3-0 lead before the Monarchs
(11-6) answered with a 13-4 run to end the first quarter.
Claire Schippers scored five of her career-high 18 points in the first quarter as TMP built a 13-7 lead.
Colby (10-9) closed the gap to two, midway through the second quarter and were within one, before Schippers’ runner with less than two minutes left in the first half put TMP up 21-18 heading into the halftime break.
The two teams combined for just four field goals in the third quarter, as Colby outscored the Monarchs 8-5 to tie the game at 26.
In the final frame, TMP opened a three-point lead but, with just less than four and a half minutes left, Colby put together a 5-0 run, taking the lead for the first time since the first possession of the game, at 31-29.
In the final minute of the game, TMP tied the game at 31 with a pair of Schippers' free throws.
They then found themselves down 34-31 with 44 seconds to play.
Hannah Rose converted on a three-pointer to tie the game at 34.
Colby retook the lead with just over 30 seconds to play, but the Monarchs were left with 3.1 seconds left when Schippers banked in the game-winning three-pointer as time expired, lifting TMP to a 37-36 victory.
Claire Schippers led all scorers with 18 points.
The win also ends a nine-game losing streak against the Eagles.
BOYS: TMP 67, Colby 58
The final game of the day, inside Al Billinger Fieldhouse, felt
like a big-time game, as the TMP boys came away with a 67-58 victory.
The first quarter saw nine lead changes and three ties before the Monarchs’ Carson Liles gave the Monarchs a 15-14 lead with a long-range jumper at the end of the first quarter.
Ty Schmeidler hit his only three-pointer of the game midway through the second quarter to put TMP up 24-17.
In the final minute of the quarter, Will Eck and Ian Nehls hit back-to-back threes, giving TMP their largest lead of the first half, 37-26 at halftime.
Nehls connected on a career-high six three-pointers and finished with a game-high 20 points.
The halftime break, though, proved to be a momentum killer for the Monarchs and the break Colby needed.
Down 11, 37-26, Colby opened the second half on a 15-0 run for a 41-37 lead with more than three minutes left in the quarter.
TMP answered with back-to-back Grant Nehls field goals, tying the game at 41. Jacob Seib and Ian Nehls closed out the quarter with four straight points, giving TMP a 46-44 lead.
In the fourth quarter, Colby tied the game at 49, but Ian Nehls connected on his final three-pointer of the night, putting TMP up 52-49.
From there, the Monarchs closed out the 67-58 victory.
Jacob Seib’s 17 points are a new season-high and were one of four to score in double-figures.
Ian Nehls scored a season-high 20 points. Ty Schmeidler added 14 points, and Grant Nehls added 10 points.
TMP will host Russell on Tuesday.