The TMP-Marian boys and girls basketball teams split a doubleheader Friday night with Ellis in their home opener.
The Monarch girls struggled with foul trouble and a late rally fell short in a 38-31 loss to the Railers. The TMP boys used a big second quarter run and pulled away for a 65-36 win.
GIRLS: Ellis 38, TMP 31
The Ellis (5-3, 2-2 MCL) girls used a 10-2 second quarter
run to build a double-digit lead and then made enough free throws down the
stretch to hold off a TMP comeback in a 38-31 win.
TMP (3-4, 2-1 MCL) got the scoring with back-to-back field goals from Brooke Koenigsman and Jaci VonLintel for a 4-0 lead. Ellis answered with four of their own tying the game at four through the first quarter.
Ellis scored five straight to open the second quarter for a 9-4 lead.
The Monarchs retook the lead thanks to a 6-0 run capped by a Claire Schippers runner of the glass for a 10-9 lead but it was a lead the Monarchs couldn鈥檛 maintain.
Ellis outscored TMP 6-2 to finish the first half and led 15-12 at the break.
The Railers opened the second half on a 10-2 run for their largest lead of the game at 11, 25-14.
Twice in the fourth quarter TMP closed within three but could get no closer as Ellis made their free throws down the stretch for the 38-31 win.
Brooke Koenigsman and Jaci VonLintel battled foul trouble and led the Monarchs with eight points each.
TMP fill face Hill City at 3 p.m. Saturday in an MCL feather bracket game.
BOYS: TMP 65, Ellis 36
The TMP (5-2, 3-0 MCL) boys used 15-2 run in the second
quarter on their way to a 65-36 win over the Ellis Railers Friday.
The two teams traded the lead back and fourth seven time in the first half with TMP taking the lead for good on a Joey Mindrup three pointer at the end of the quarter putting TMP up 13-11.
Ellis (2-6, 1-3 MCL) trimmed the lead to two at 16-14 but the Monarchs put together the game deciding 15-2 run capped by a Landon Rozean three-point play and five straight from Kade Harris for a 31-16 TMP lead at the halftime.
Ellis closed within 10 in the third quarter but TMP outscored Ellis 16-0 to end the third and begin the fourth quarter on their way to the 65-36 win.
Dylan Werth led TMP with 18 points and Kade Harris added 13 points.
The Monarchs will host a MCL tournament first round game on Monday.