The Marmaton Valley boys and girls swept Yates Center at the War on 54 tournament on Thursday evening.
The Wildcat boys (4-6; 2-0) shot the ball lights out and shut down most of Yates Center’s (1-7; 0-3) scorers in a 68-44 victory. Marmaton Valley’s girls (7-4; 2-0) defense shut down the YC (1-7; 0-2) offense and Janae Granere led her squad to a 44-15 win.
Girls Basketball
Marmaton Valley started fast and outscored Yates Center in the first half, 32-4. Granere scored a team-high 13 points, 11 in the first half. Braelyn Sutton also hit a pair of three’s and a layup in the first half to extend the Wildcats lead to 28.
“I think we moved the ball really well tonight,” said Marmaton Valley head coach Becky Carlson. “That’s the biggest thing, we found the open players and we just kept moving until we found someone open. They wanted to get the ball and weren’t going to let them have it.”
Yates Center’s four points in the first half came off the fingers of Molly Proper on a layup and a pair of free throws from Peyton Petit.
Yates Center found the basket more in the second half, scoring seven points in the third, six from Grace Westerman. Callyn Miller also added a two-point basket and a free throw but her team still trailed by double digits.
Payton Scharff scored the only points of the third quarter for Marmaton Valley on a pair of free throws before MV added on 10 points in the fourth, led by Tayvon Sutton’s four points. Kaitlyn Drake, B. Sutton and Granere also scored two points apiece in the fourth.
Braelyn Sutton scored 10 points and Piper Barney and Scharff had six apiece for Marmaton Valley. Yates Center was led by Westerman’s six points while Petit and Miller each added three.
Boys Basketball
Marmaton Valley outscored Yates Center in the first quarter, 17-6, sparked by Brayden Lawson hitting a trio of two’s and a free throw.
The lead stayed at 11 at halftime after Marmaton Valley’s Dylan Drake, Tyler Lord and Lawson each bucketed three points apiece in the second. Yates Center was led by Emmit George who scored 16 points in the first half alone, including six two-point baskets.
“It’s good to get back on track, we got some shots to fall and got some confidence for these guys. That’s what they need as a young group,” said Marmaton Valley head coach Cornell Walls. “It’s definitely a confidence booster. As long as we’re fighting I’m pleased.”
Marmaton Valley led Yates Center at halftime, 68-44.
Lord continued Yates Center’s scoring surge in the second half when he sank a trio of layups and a free throw, accompanied by Drake’s pair of layups. Lord then added on five more points in the fourth while Chase Smith scored five, including a three.
