Huskies Handle Cascade 61-53

Turner – Tenth ranked North Marion came into Friday night’s contest at Cascade tied atop the Capital Conference with the eleventh ranked Cougars, but left town with effectively a two game lead, after a 61-53 win that also gave the Huskies a sweep of the season series. North Marion also claimed the first meeting between the teams, 48-36 on January 12^th.

Kelly Christensen led all scorers with 19 points, including 11 in the fourth quarter. Tyrell Williams led Cascade with 17 points, including three three pointers.

A pair of Christensen three pointers sparked North Marion to a 14-8 by the end of the first quarter, and the Huskies built a 10 point, 20-10 lead early in the second period. But Cascade shut North Marion out for five minutes, and used a 10-0 run to tie it at 20 apiece.

“They got out on us a little too much,” Cascade coach Steve Ball commented. “And then Christensen took over in the fourth quarter.”

Cascade twice ran them down again, but still trailed 51-48 with less than two minutes left. Ryan Thompson, whose’ tip in at the buzzer in overtime gave Cascade a 54-52 win at La Salle Tuesday, launched a three pointer from the right baseline to tie it again, but came up short, and there was no call on the contact after the shot.

North Marion counter-punched as they had all night, and closed out the game with a 7-2 run.

“The guys showed what they were made of tonight,” North Marion coach Tony Merrill said during the postgame celebration. “We had a tough loss Tuesday,” a 48-41 home defeat at the hands of Estacada. “This win (on the road), after withstanding their runs, is a good win if we can build on it.”

The contest for control of the league race played out before a near capacity crowd in the Cougars’ Den, as North Marion and Cascade combined efforts on “Pink Out” night to raise awareness, and funds for Breast Cancer treatment and research, with proceeds donated via the Salem area YWCA .

Jordan McCain (24, r.) had 14 points for the Huskies, including six of seven at the line, and Josh Turner added 13. Dyllan Mongenel and Zach Rouse both added 10 points for the Cougars.

“Early on, we found Rouse,” Ball noted, “but then, all of a sudden, we got a little lazy, and bad passes resulted.”

Cascade needed a half dozen three pointers, including three during their fourth quarter rally, to stay close to North Marion, who had the upper hand most of the night inside.

“We talk about making layins,” Merrill said, “and we did a good job defensively in the paint.”

Both Thompson and North Marion’s Adam Hayden picked up two early fouls, limiting their first half minutes, and their point production. Thompson finished with seven points, and Hayden six. However, the Huskies got a boost from Zach Goldsby, who helped out with five points inside, while the Cougars got no points from their front court reserves.

Cascade's Tyrell Williams (21) scores two of his 17 points.

North Marion improved to 12-8, but more importantly 7-1 in the Capital Conference. The Huskies travel to Molalla Tuesday night. The win also elevated the Huskies, who have the #1 Strength of Schedule so far in 4A, to #1 in the RPI.

Cascade fell to 12-8, and 6-2 in the league race, still solidly in second place. The Cougars host Stayton in the season’s second round of the “Shaff Road Showdown” Tuesday.

“We need a lot of help now in order to win the league again,” Ball said of the two time defending conference champions’ chances. “Regardless, we have to play well, starting Tuesday against Stayton.”

North Marion  14   11   14   22  -  61

Cascade            8   12   16   17  -  53

North Marion – Kelly Christensen 19, Jordan McCain 14, Josh Turner 13, Adam Hayden 6, Zach Goldsby 5, Nathan Summers 2, Zach Borowczak 2, Alonzo Caballero, Sawyer Dady. 3s – Christensen (3), Turner. FTs – 17-23 (74 %) (McCain 6-7). Fouled out – none. Technicals – none.

Cascade – Tyrell Williams 17, Dyllan Mongenel 10, Zach Rouse 10, Ryan Thompson 7, Adam Cade 5, Jarrid Raney 4, Bo Pinkerton, Jake Tuttle, Dylan Gardner. 3s – Williams (3), Mongenel (2), Thompson. FTs – 13 – 17 (76 %) (Rouse 4-4). Fouled out – none. Technicals – none.

CC

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