The Herald-Press

 

BY CHUCK LANDIS

HUNTINGTON n At any speed, the Marion boys’ basketball team was too quick to catch during the Class 4A Huntington Sectional tournament.

Whether it was the run-and-gun style of Fort Wayne North or the deliberate tactics of Jay County and Huntington North, the Giants had all the answers this week. Marion won its third consecutive championship 52-36 by successfully combating a physical Vikings team on their home court.

“One thing I’m impressed with them is they can play different styles,” North coach Joe Bradburn said. “They can run with North and play a slower game like we tried to do and they have the patience and discipline to handle it.

“That’s why they went as far as they did last year and why they got a shot again this year,” Bradburn said.

Seventh-ranked Marion improved to 20-3 and took the first step in getting back to the state championship game with its 66th sectional title and fifth in the multi-class tournament. Huntington North finished the year 8-14 and lost to their North Central Conference rival for the second time this season.

“This is my senior year and this is the way I want to go out,” said Scott Wood, who has started for all three sectional championship teams. “Hopefully, we’ll keep this going.”

Both teams played to a 10-all tie in the first quarter where the lead changed hands twice and there also was three ties. Will Schenkel hit a 3-pointer with 5:51 left in the second quarter that gave the Vikings a 13-10 lead.

It would be the Vikings’ last lead. Fueled by Indiana Mr. Basketball candidate Wood, the Giants scored 12 unanswered points for a 22-13 advantage, and their lead never slipped below seven points the rest of the game.

Wood finished with 27 points that included 12-of-12 shooting from the free throw line. The 6-foot-7 senior made just 6-of-15 field goal attempts, including 3-of-9 from 3-point range.

Yet, the Vikings’ defensive attention was more geared to guard JaRob McCallum, who had made the open court his own personal playpen during the sectional. Constantly surrounded by two defenders, McCallum was held to 11 points, but that gave Wood and other Giants more opportunities to score.

“Scott and JaRob are going to get so much attention, especially at this time of year,” Marion coach Joe Luce said. “Huntington is big and athletic and did a nice job defending us.

“It’s a testament to both Scott and JaRob that they don’t force things and that winning comes first for them,” Luce added.

Huntington North was within 36-28 with 6:15 to play after Schenkel hit two free throws. But McCallum hit a jump shot and then Wood sank a 3-pointer that pushed the Giants advantage to 41-28 and effectively settled the outcome.

“Everytime we made a run we got a tough break,” Bradburn said. “We were within striking distance at 8, 10, 12 points, and then the breaks went against us.”

Schenkel and Sands each finished with 10 points to lead the Vikings, who were out-shot 24-3 at the free throw line. The Vikings shot only 36 percent from the field and were out-rebounded 26-21.