Huskies pull past Tigers
North Marion limits EHS to nine second-half points in 56-29 win
The Inter-Mountain photos by Edgar Kelley Elkins High School’s DeAndre Owens dribbles past North Marion defender Ethan Darden during Friday night’s Big 10 Conference contest at Richard P. Simmons Memorial Gymnasium.
North Marion’s Gunner Murphy grabs a rebound in front of Elkins’ Luke Jackson (31) and Mason Kimbleton (30).
The Inter-Mountain photos by Edgar Kelley Elkins High School’s DeAndre Owens dribbles past North Marion defender Ethan Darden during Friday night’s Big 10 Conference contest at Richard P. Simmons Memorial Gymnasium.
North Marion’s Gunner Murphy grabs a rebound in front of Elkins’ Luke Jackson (31) and Mason Kimbleton (30).
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The Inter-Mountain photos by Edgar Kelley
Elkins High School's DeAndre Owens dribbles past North Marion defender Ethan Darden during Friday night's Big 10 Conference contest at Richard P. Simmons Memorial Gymnasium.
North Marion's Gunner Murphy grabs a rebound in front of Elkins' Luke Jackson (31) and Mason Kimbleton (30).
ELKINS -- Gunner Murphy scored 18 points and North Marion used a dominating second half en route to a 56-29 win over Elkins Friday night in Big 10 Conference action at Richard P. Simmons Memorial Gymnasium.
The Huskies, who remained unbeaten on the season with a 5-0 overall record and 3-0 league mark, trailed 20-19 at the half after the Tigers (1-5, 0-2) rallied to take the lead behind a 12-4 scoring advantage in the second quarter.
North Marion, which saw Elkins open the game on an 8-0 surge before scoring 15 straight points to take a seven-point edge into the second, began the third stanza on 13-2 run as a 3-pointer from Murphy at the 4:02 mark put the visitors in front 32-22.
After the Tigers' Mason Kimbleton stopped the bleeding with a short jumper, the Huskies reeled off seven consecutive points to take a 39-24 lead into the final canto.
North Marion kept it going to start the final quarter as a 9-0 run capped off by a free throw from Praise Chukwudozie, who earlier in the quarter brought his team's bench to their feet with an alley-oop dunk, made it 48-24 to ice the win.
"We did what we wanted to do in the first half and felt good going into the break," said Elkins coach Amrit Rayfield. "We forced them into some turnovers and did a good job guarding (Gunner) Murphy. In the second half, we had some costly turnovers early which allowed them to convert on some easy scores. The combination of turning the ball over and not making any shots really hurt us the entire second half."
Chukwudozie followed Murphy in the scoring column with 13 points, while Tariq Miller tossed in 12.
DeAndre Owens led the Elkins with seven points. Kimbleton followed with six and Brayden Davis scored five.
"We still need to put an entire game of consistent basketball together," said Rayfield. "We still haven't put four full quarters together."
The Tigers will remain home for their next contest as they entertain Lincoln at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday.
The Huskies will host Fairmont Senior on Monday evening.
North Marion (5-0, 3-0 Big 10)
Miller 5 2-3 12; Tobin 1 0-0 2; Kincell 1 0-0 3; Baker 1 1-2 3; Murphy 8 0-0 18; Garrett 1 0-0 2; Chukwudozie 5 3-5 13; Williams 1 0-0 3; Totals 23 6-10 56
Elkins (1-5, 0-2 Big 10)
Price 1 0-0 3; Harris 1 0-0 2; Owens 3 0-0 7; Isner 0 1-2 1; Goux 1 0-0 2; Davis 2 1-2 5; Kimbleton 2 2-4 6; Jackson 1 0-0 3; Totals 11 4-8 29
North Marion 15 4 30 17 -- 56
Elkins 8 12 4 5 -- 29
3-point goals: Murphy 2, Williams, Price, Owens, Jackson.