Kingsport, Tenn. - The Marian men's basketball team extended their winning streak to nine on Sunday afternoon as they completed play in the NAIA Showcase, dropping Bluefield College 68-50. Marian's 9-0 start is their best beginning to a season since 2015-16 when the Knights won 15-consecutive to begin the campaign.
After a back and forth start in the opening three minutes, the Knights put their hand on the wheel with a 10-0 run, as Christian Harvey, Brody Whitaker, and Luke Heady knocked down shots to give Marian an early double-digit lead. Marian forced six Bluefield misses in the run, and withstood a drought of their own as Heady moved the advantage to six with 9:22 to play in the opening half. A Josh Bryan three-ball helped re-ignite Marian's double-digit lead, as the lead swelled to as many as 12 points in the final five minutes.
With 3:22 to play in the first half Taeshon Cherry gave Marian a 29-19 lead with a layup, but following the basket the lid to the rim closed. Marian missed their final four shots from the field and committed a turnover to allow the Rams to inch back within four. The Rams had a chance to make the contest a one-possession game before half's end, but a steal from Luke Gohmann allowed the Knights to go into the locker room leading 29-25.
Bluefield continued to pester the Knights and cut the lead to two points, but Gohmann surged the margin to six after completing a three-point play. Gohmann scored again as Marian had captured momentum, and Nolan Foster pushed Marian back to a double-figure lead five minutes into the half. The Rams locked horns multiple times to creep within two possessions, but a three from Cherry gave Marian the spark they needed.
Including the senior's basket at the 12:22 mark, Marian went on a 8-0 run, soaring back in front by 14-points by the 9:53 mark. The Knights led by 11 points or more for the final 10:35 of the contest, and led by as many as 19 late in the half after getting a bucket from Gavin Foe. The strong run backed by physical stops on defense allowed Marian to coast over the final six minutes, as they cruised to their 68-50 win.
The Knights shot 40.3 percent from the field in the win, and held a rebounding margin of plus-seven in the victory. Cherry logged just 16 minutes, but led all-scorers in the game with 18 points, making 8-of-12 shots from the field. Harvey stuffed the stat sheet in the win, flirting with a triple-double as he had nine points, nine rebounds, and nine assists, while also recording a pair of steals and blocks. Whitaker was the leader in shots off the bench, scoring a bench-high six points.
Marian returns to Crossroads League play on Wednesday night, as they host Bethel in the PE Center at 7 p.m.
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