Marshals fall to Calloway in 4th District Championship game

Tyler Stokes shoots over Calloway's Payton Johnson (44) in Thursday's 4th District Tournament Championship game.
Tyler Stokes shoots over Calloway’s Payton Johnson (44) in Thursday’s 4th District Tournament Championship game.

DRAFFENVILLE – Calloway County may have played their best game of the season in Thursday’s 4th District Championship game against Marshall County. The two regular season games between the two teams went to the Marshals by 11 and 10 points, but Thursday went to the Lakers who earned the 4th District title in their 70-58 win over the Marshals.

Neither team got on the board for the first two and half minutes until Calloway’s Jeremy Darnell’s 3-pointer was the start of the rain of three’s by the Lakers, getting three straight by Kamden Price for a 12-2 Laker lead. A three from Bryce Flatt was followed by a basket by Aaron Reed to cut Calloway’s lead to 11-7. Flatt was fouled shooting a three and made two of three from the line to put the Marshals back into the game trailing 12-9 but they would end the quarter down 15-9.

Aaron Reed, covered up by Calloway's Will Benson and Jonah Brannon (22), led the Marshals with 22 points against the Lakers.
Aaron Reed, covered up by Calloway’s Will Benson and Jonah Brannon (22), led the Marshals with 22 points against the Lakers.

Calloway opened the second quarter with a 15-0 run to lead 30-9, stopped on a free throw by Reed with two and half minutes to go in the half. The Marshals would score the next six points from Reed with the three point play, a basket by Tyler Stokes and free throw from Flatt to trail 32-16. Price sank a three for the Lakers to end the half leading 35-16.

The Lakers led 44-19 in the third quarter but the Marshals would out-score them by four points to finish out the quarter trailing 53-32.

Marshall County closed the gap in the fourth behind free throws and three point play  from Reed to cut the Calloway lead to 18 points. Under five minutes to go, the Lakers began to use up as much clock as they could with the Marshals getting the ball back with 4:00 to go on a double-foul and possession arrow in their favor.

Down 55-40, the Marshals forced to foul, sent Price to the line who was nearly perfect, hitting 15 of 16 free throws down the stretch for the Lakers on their way to a 70-58 win.

Price scored 30 points in the win, was 4/10 from three point range and 18/19 from the free throw line. Reed led the Marshals with 22 points and was 8/9 from the free throw line. Both teams advance to next week’s Region One Tournament.

SCORING
Calloway: Price 30, Brannon 19, Darnell 8, Johnson 6, Dawson 4, Benson 3
Marshall: Reed 22, Flatt 7, Harvey 7, Smith 7, Stokes 6, French 3, Prange 2, Nichols 2, Walters 2
Calloway: Field Goals 20/43, 3-pointers 8/23, Free Throws 22/25, Rebounds 29, Fouls 21, Assists 11, Turnovers 11
Marshall: Field Goals 19/46, 3-pointers 4/12, Free Throws 16/26, Rebounds 27, Fouls 22, Assists 2, Turnovers 9

 1st  2nd   3rd   4th   Final 
Calloway   15  20  18  17   70
Marshall    9   7  16  26   58
All Tournament Team selections (L-R) Skyler Smith (Marshall), Houston Harvey (Marshall), Aaron Reed (Marshall), Preston English (Murray), Kamden Price (Calloway), Christian Adams (Calloway), Jeremy Darnell (Calloway), Peyton Johnson (Calloway), not pictured Zach Flener (Murray).
All Tournament Team selections (L-R) Skyler Smith (Marshall), Houston Harvey (Marshall), Aaron Reed (Marshall), Preston English (Murray), Kamden Price (Calloway), Christian Adams (Calloway), Jeremy Darnell (Calloway), Peyton Johnson (Calloway), not pictured Zach Flener (Murray).