Staff writer
The Marion Classic tournament was a three-game series of losses for the Peabody-Burns Warriors. Despite a 2-point first round loss to Marion, the next two games were double-digit defeats. The team will next have a two-game home stretch before the holidays.
Both teams came ready to play in the first quarter of the Marion-PBHS contest. Neither team got a lead greater than 4 in the period. PBHS had the 12-11 edge at the buzzer. Kornelius Skotaam paced the team with 5 points.
Another close quarter in the second began with a 2 from Junior Edmondson. Marion answered with a basket. Skotaam drained a 3, which prompted a Marion timeout. PBHS took a 21-15 lead with points from Braxton Kyle and Edmondson but Marion bounced back to tie the game 23-23 with 1 minute left in the second. Marion scored a basket before the half and enjoyed the 25-23 lead.
Marion went on an 8-point run to start the third before Edmondson broke the string of points with a free throw. Marion continued to score and had a 43-34 margin at the buzzer.
An early fourth-quarter run from PBHS included a 2-pointer from Skotaam, a trey and a free throw from Brent Buller and a 2 from Kyle. Skotaam tied up the game with 2 from the line. Two more ties in the final minutes were broken by Marion. With 15 seconds left in the competition, Skotaam had a lay-up that put the PBHS squad within 2. A PBHS time out with .9 on the board was followed by a shot that fell short, and PBHS lost 57-55.
Skotaam led the team with 21. Kyle followed with 17. Edmondson had 11, Buller added 4, and Kaden Gibson had 2.
Against Berean on Thursday, PBHS opened with a 2 from Skotaam and a 2 from Nicholas Preheim. Kyle added one from the line and PBHS led 5-0. Berean scored answered with its own 5-0 run and it was all even with 5:00 left on the clock. Skotaam added another 2 on the period but Berean went on a 9-point run and led 14-7 at the end of the first.
Two quick baskets from Kyle, a 2 from Edmonson and a 2 from Skotaam got the team to within 3 points, 18-15. Berean then charged up the offense and led 31-20 at the half.
Edmondson had 6 quick points after the break. Berean held off the run and still led by 10 at the end of the third quarter, 41-31.
With only 4 points in the fourth, PBHS was defeated by Berean 57-35.
Skotaam had 11 points in the contest. Edmondson added 10. Kyle followed with 7. Brady Logan-Hanan added 5. Preheim recorded 2.
Saturday against Belle Plaine, first half production from PBHS was good, but the Dragons outscored the Warriors 31-21.
Scoring from both squads decreased slightly in the final half. PBHS suffered a third loss in the tournament 55-40.
Kyle had most of the offense for the Warriors with 29. Edmondson added 6. Skotaam had 4 and Buller added a free throw.