The evening before, the Marion Giants had to stave a furious Fort Wayne Bishop Luers comeback to advance to Class 3A Sectional 23 semifinal.
But on Saturday, there was no drama, just another impressive win for the Giants in their quest for a second straight sectional title.
Three girls finished in double figures and the defensive effort was outstanding once again, as Marion defeated the Columbia City Eagles by score of 59-44.
The Giants’ win on Saturday avenged their 54-37 loss to the Eagles back on November 16, one of just four defeats that Marion had suffered all year up to that point.
The first quarter was all about offense, as both teams seemingly scored at will in what became a 17-17 tie.
But in the second quarter, the Giants’ defense clamped up significantly, shutting the Eagles out while building a 27-17 halftime lead.
“In the first quarter, we didn’t get the defensive rebounds like we should have,” Marion Head Coach Lawrence Jordan said. “But in the second quarter, we got out on their shooters, we boxed out in the zone, and we were able to ball inside to Ayanna, Jazmyn, and Rashaya and create some separation.”
The Giants were never threated in the second half, and used a 23-point fourth quarter to punch their ticket to the sectional championship and a date with the Bellmont Braves.
All of Marion’s post players came away with excellent performances. Jazmyn Turner led the way with 17 points and nine rebounds, while Rashaya Kyle finished the game with 15 points and nine rebounds. Ayanna Harvey scored eight points in the paint, while Ellie Vermilion added 13.
“Ayanna established herself early – she got a couple of baskets – and then Jazmyn played really well tonight,” Jordan said. “RaShaya, she was a little bit fatigued from last night, but her presence was enough. Our defense was really sound.”
