MORAN — Only one three-point field goal was hit in the game here Tuesday night.
It came at the right time for Marmaton Valley High’s Wildcats. The visiting Oswego High Indians had rallied back to within two points of the Cats.
It was 25-23 with six minutes left in the third quarter. Zach Louk pulled the trigger on the long-distance shot and drained it.
Marmaton Valley pulled away on an 11-3 run. The Wildcats kept the Indians at arms’ length the final eight minutes to post a 47-34 win.
“It was a good win for us but it was not very pretty. We made a lot of silly mistakes,” said Denny Lasley, Wildcat head coach.
“Defensively, we got after it when we needed to late.”
The win was big for the Wildcats because it was their first Three Rivers League victory. Marmaton Valley is 1-3 in the league and 4-8 overall.
Marmaton Valley goes to Pleasanton Friday.
Marmaton Valley got back-to-back baskets inside by Nathan Smart and the Wildcats were off and running. They led 12-4 at the end of the first quarter.
Cole Becker led the Cats on a 7-3 run at the start of the second quarter. Becker had three baskets and Louk hit one of two free throws.
Marmaton Valley was up 19-7 with 5:25 left in the period. Then the Indians came roaring back, using defensive play to fuel their offense.
Three baskets came in transition to make it 21-16. Smart scored with 47.3 seconds left in the half to halt a mini-run by the Indians.
The Wildcats held a 23-18 advantage at the break.
Oswego came out ready to roll in the third quarter scoring three straight points. Marmaton Valley’s Lucas Hamlin had only one basket in the game but it came at the right time.
Hamlin’s bucket kept the margin at four, 25-21, Travis Schenker had his only field goal for Oswego to make it 25-23.
