INDIANAPOLIS - Marian was challenged in the first half, but used a strong run and a dominant second half to get back into the win column as they downed Saint Mary of the Woods 84-49. Marian's win is their 11th of the season, as they improve to 11-1 overall on the season with the non-conference win.
Marian got off to a strong start as the senior trio of Luke Gohmann, Christian Harvey, and Hayden Langkabel got the Knights out to a 7-0 lead. The lead was cut down to four as the Pomeroys got into the flow of the game, eventually trimming the score to two following a four-point swing from Elkin Ramirez. Harvey pushed Marian's lead back to 10 as he scored six points in an 8-0 run, but Saint Mary of the Woods had an answer. Trailing 19-12, the Pomeroys went on an 11-0 run to take their first lead of the game, as they drained three consecutive from beyond the arc.
Luke Heady ended the run with a three, and put Marian back in control as they built their lead back to two possessions. Harvey and Brody Whitaker proved as the constants on offense as the two guards carried Marian back to a 10-point lead, and with 101 seconds remaining in the half Whitaker sparked a 6-0 run. A fastbreak dunk from Taeshon Cherry highlighted the run, as Marian would go into the locker room with a 46-34 lead at the break.
After a two-minute scoreless spell to start the second half, Jackson Ames was rewarded after his third block of the half with a dunk off the Harvey feed, starting the offense once agian for Marian. Marian led by 17 as the clock ticked to the first media timeout, and gradually grew to 24 points as Nolan Foster and Gavin Foe got involved. The Knights led 63-41 with 10 minutes remaining in the game, and all but put the game out of reach as Foe and Heady drove to the hole. With a lead of 25 points with under eight minutes remaining, the Knights stayed steady as they pushed the lead to 35 with Foster, Langkabel, and Foe driving the scoring. A putback from Foe gave Marian their largest lead of the game of 37 points with under two minutes to play, as they coasted to their 84-49 victory.
Harvey led all players in scoring with 17 points, while Whitaker chipped in a career-high 14 points off the bench. Foe dropped a season-high 13 points, and Foster led Marian in rebounds with nine. Ames finished with a balanced five points, eight rebounds, and three blocks, and Langkabel scored nine.
The Knights will play their final game before Christmas on Saturday, December 10 as they travel to Huntington for a 3 p.m. tip against the Foresters.
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