Marshall County was hoping to be the first team this season to crack McCracken County’s unblemished record but the Mustangs are still perfect following Friday’s 45-36 win. The win was 19 points below their lowest points total in their first nine games, the defensive battle also the lowest point total for the Marshals by nine since their loss to Pendleton County in the Marshall County Hoopfest.
Led by 6’6″ junior forward Jackson Sivills with 23 points in the win, Sivills scored the first nine of the game for the Mustangs as they trailed 10-9. The Marshals first 10 points came from Dawson Smothers, Tyler Stokes and a 3-pointer each from Tyler Powell and Bryce Flatt. Four more points came from Smothers and Stokes and a basket by McCracken County sophomore Noah Dumas to finish out the first quarter on a 14-12 Marshall County lead.
The Marshals out-scored the Mustangs 6-4 in the second quarter, four points from Powell and a basket by Matthew Wooten. Sivills and Dumas scored four points for the Mustangs, both with baskets called off in the quarter for player control fouls.
Sivills opened the second half with a 3-pointer to give the Mustangs just their second lead of the game at 21-20 and they would go on to out-score the Marshals 11-5 in the third quarter to lead 29-25. Seven of the Mustangs points in the quarter came from Sivills.
Still down by four points mid-way through the fourth quarter at 33-29, all four points from the Marshals by Powell, McCracken County went up by six points on free throws by Sivills, cut back to a four point lead on free throws from Stokes. Two straight baskets by Dumas stretched it to 39-31 for the Mustangs with 1:51 to go in the game.
Dumas went to the line three times in the final 1:38, hitting five of six with one free throw in that span from Sivills to win by nine points. The final five points from the Marshals came from Stokes on two free throws and a 3-pointer.
Powell with 14 points and Stokes with 13 led the Marshals in scoring.
In post-game comments to WCBL’s Jeff Waters, Coach Terry Birdsong said the slump coming out of halftime has been a problem for the Marshals this season. Birdsong added that the injury to Austin Riley has players in different positions but said they’re not making any excuses. The team missed some important free throws but overall Birdsong liked their effort.
The JV Marshals won a thriller to the end over McCracken County 51-49.
The Marshals (4-6) will have a seven-day break from games before hosting the A & K Holiday Classic Dec. 28-29.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | Final | |
| Marshall | 14 | 20 | 25 | 36 |
| McCracken | 12 | 18 | 29 | 45 |
Marshall: Powell 14, Stokes 13, Smothers 4, Flatt 3, Wooten 2
McCracken: Sivills 23, Dumas 14, Davis 4, Guthrie 2, Winsett 2
