Panama City Beach, FL – The Marshals came to the Marlin Christmas Classic with the goal of winning the tournament, but a hard-fought first game loss to Pleasant Grove, AL sent them to the consolation bracket where they beat a good Arnold team by 30 and won the consolation bracket Friday with a 46-37 win over Centennial from Franklin, TN.
“This was not an offensive explosion by any means”, Head Coach Gus Gillespie said of the win over Centennial. Gillespie said his team played a hard first game and didn’t get rewarded, played a hard second game and won big and felt the team may have been a little tired in Friday’s game.
“The guys off the bench have played hard and they really got us going”, Gillespie said.
Tied three times in the first quarter, a basket by Matt French at 5-5 put the Marshals in the lead, followed by baskets from Tyler Stokes, Aaron Reed and Dylan Walters for an 11-8 lead.
Centennial’s Tre Carlton started the second quarter with a 3-pointer for the Cougars to tie 11-11. Walters picked up a quick third foul two minutes in to the quarter and spent the rest of the first half on the bench. The Marshals next four points came on free throws by Bryce Flatt and Reed that the Cougars wiped out on a three by Drew Joiner to tie the game once again at 16-16.
Lucas Nichols and French scored the final four points of the first half to give the Marshals a four point halftime lead.
Early in the second half, the Marshals led by eight twice, taking an 11 point lead after a three from Houston Harvey but the Cougars climbed back in to trail 33-29 on free throws by Joiner and two more from Trevor Anderson to cut the Marshals lead to two on a 9-0 run that would end the third quarter.
The Marshals took command in the fourth, out-scoring Centennial 13-6 led by Harvey who went 4 for 4 from the free throw line and three points from Reed to win by nine. Reed led the team with 13 points, Harvey with 12 while Carlton led Cenntenial with 14.
SCORING
Marshall: Reed 13, Harvey 12, Walters 7, French 4, Stokes 4, Flatt 4, Nichols 2
Marshall: Field Goals 14/30, Free Throws 17/24, Rebounds 35 (Centennial 30), Turnovers 23
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final | |
| Marshall | 11 | 9 | 13 | 13 | 46 |
| Centennial | 8 | 8 | 15 | 6 | 37 |
