PANAMA CITY BEACH, FL – Marshall County and Madisonville North-Hopkins met in the 5th place Consolation Championship game Thursday in the Marlin Christmas Classic. The last time the two Kentucky teams met was three years ago when the Marshals beat the Maroons in the Messenger Tip-off Classic.
Madisonville lost their first game in the Marlin Christmas Classic 71-63 to host team Arnold, then beat Oak Grove 76-42 to advance to meet the Marshals who lost their first game to Independence, TN, then beat Bartram Trail in overtime.
D.J. Pigg hit a 3-pointer to open the game for the Marshals that was answered with a three by Connor Kenney for Madisonville. Two more three’s from Pigg put the Marshals on top 9-3, then a fifth straight three for both teams from Jamal Combs cut the Marshall lead to 9-6.
Baskets by Aaron Reed and Dylan Walters closed out the first quarter on a 13-10 Marshall County lead.
Pigg opened the second quarter with his fourth three of the game to give the Marshals a 16-10 lead that was cut quickly to three again after a 3-pointer from Cade Cunningham.
Madisonville took their first lead of the game at 20-19, one they would never relinquish, going on to lead 27-22 at halftime.
The second half was all Madisonville as the Marshals struggled offensively, out-scored in the second half 38-19, in a half that saw the Maroons put six quick points on the board to lead 35-22 before the Marshals scored on a basket by Cameron Thurman.
They trailed 44-29 at the end of the third quarter and would get no closer than 14 points of Madisonville at the start of the fourth quarter as the Maroons scored 21 points to close the game out with a 24 point win.
Turnovers became a problem for the Marshals with 18 in the game, the majority coming in the second half and half of Madisonville’s points came from three-point range.
“We’ve had 60 turnovers in three games and have been as careless with the ball as a varsity team can be”, Head Coach Gus Gillespie said. “Our guys need practice, and lots of it.”
The Marshals will play at home on January 5th against Cairo, IL, who also played in this week’s Marlin Christmas Classic. Cairo beat Oak Grove, AL to advance to play the Arnold Marlins, losing 63-58 after leading most of the game. Cairo met Breckenridge, KY in the third place game on Thursday losing 63-54.
Independence beat Arnold 66-51 in the championship game of the Marlin Christmas Classic.
SCORING
Marshall: Field Goals 13/39, 3-pointers 5/19, Free Throws 10/15, Rebounds 31, Fouls 10, Turnovers 18
Madisonville: Field Goals 25/57, 3-pointers 11/24, Free Throws 4/7, Rebounds 34, Fouls 20, Turnovers 8
Marshall: Pigg 13, Reed 10, Walters 5, Thurman 4, Smith 3, Morgan 3, French 2, Riley 1
Madisonville: Eaves 17, Singleton 10, Kenney 9, White 6, Cunningham 6, Ashby 5, Parish 3, Cline 3, Combs 3, Embry 2, Fields 1
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final | |
| Marshall | 13 | 9 | 7 | 12 | 41 |
| Madisonville | 10 | 17 | 17 | 21 | 65 |