Article and Photos by T Ray Henry
On Friday, January 23rd, Marshall High School’s boys basketball team traveled to Martinsville to take on the Bluestreaks in a non-conference doubleheader which included a shortened junior varsity game with two ten-minute halves utilizing a running clock. Marshall came into the contest with a record of 5-10, while Martinsville came in with a record of 2-17.
After Martinsville scored the first bucket of the game, Marshall took the lead less than 15 seconds later when Garrett Pugh drove inside the lane and scored as he was fouled. Pugh sank the free throw, and the Lions were off and running with a 3-2 lead. Marshall’s frontcourt dominated as Bryce Griguhn grabbed an offensive rebound which he put back up and in to give the Lions a three-point lead at 5-2. Payton McGuire got free on the left wing and swished a three-pointer from behind the arc, the first of his four three-pointers in the first half, and the Big Red was ahead 8-2 before a couple free throws by Martinsville’s Lucas McCandless made the score 8-4.
Zach Jones scored three buckets in as many trips for the Lions up the floor to counter two free throws by Gabe Griffin for the Bluestreaks to make the score 14-6 Marshall. Payton McGuire then splashed two threes down the stretch, one from the right wing and the other from the left wing, to offset two buckets for Martinsville. At the end of one, Marshall doubled up Martinsville on the scoreboard 20-10.
After a couple empty trips for each team to begin the second quarter, Marshall’s Payton McGuire drained a three-pointer from the top of the key that hit nothing but the bottom of the net to give the Lions a 23-10 lead with just under a minute gone in the quarter. Martinsville came back and scored a three-pointer to get back to a ten-point deficit at 23-13. On Marshall’s next time up the floor, Tucker Osborn made a nice pass over to Bryce Griguhn on the block, and Griguhn went up and scored to make it 25-13 with 6:40 to go until halftime.
Bryce Griguhn’s bucket started a 15-0 run for the Lions. On Martinsville’s next offensive possession, Marshall’s Payton McGuire stole the ball at the free throw line and dribbled up the floor on a breakaway and scored in making the score 27-13. That was followed by a nice sequence when Tucker Osborn passed the ball to Zach Jones on the right side, who passed the ball to Bryce Griguhn as he was streaking in from the left wing, and Griguhn scored at the rim. Brady Landrus then hit a nice shot from the right elbow to make the score 31-13 with 4:50 to go in the half.
After a Martinsville shot fell off the rim, Payton McGuire grabbed the rebound, spun, and threw a full court pass to Zach Jones sprinting up the floor. Jones caught the pass and went in to give the Lions a 20-point lead at 33-13. On the next play, Payton McGuire grabbed another defensive rebound, spun, and this time threw a long pass to Garrett Pugh as he outraced the Bluestreaks all the way to the goal and scored, giving Marshall a 35-13 advantage with 3 ½ to go until the halftime break.
In what appeared to be wash, rinse, and repeat, Payton McGuire grabbed the next miss by Martinsville. This time he dribbled up the floor, drew defenders to him, then he dished the ball to Brady Landrus along the right wing. Landrus dialed it in and knocked down a three-pointer to give Marshall a 38-13 lead with just under three minutes to go on the clock.
A free throw by Tommy Sheehy and another inside basket by Bryce Griguhn ended the scoring for Marshall in the first half as the Lions took a 41-17 lead to the locker room. In the second quarter, the Lions held the Bluestreaks to just seven points.
Early in the third quarter, baskets by Garrett Pugh and Bryce Griguhn ignited an 11-0 run for the Lions. Liam Keim scored on a nice shot inside the lane, and Tucker Osborn went in on a breakaway layup after he stole the ball on the defensive end. After another stop by the Lions on defense, the team came up the floor and worked the ball over to Tucker Osborn on the left wing behind the arc. Osborn lined it up and drilled a three-pointer as he let out a big sigh of relief as the Lions’ lead grew to 35 points with the score 52-17 with 3:30 to go in the third quarter.
One free throw by Tommy Sheehy followed, and after a three-pointer by Martinsville’s Drake Brant, Tucker Osborn and Tommy Sheehy hit back-to-back three pointers, Osborn from the left baseline and Sheehy from the right wing, and Marshall now led 59-20. Sheehy scored on another bucket down the stretch, and after three quarters, the Lions, who held Martinsville to five points in the third quarter, led 61-22.
During the fourth quarter with a running clock throughout, Tucker Osborn nailed another three-pointer and Zach Jones scored on a bucket inside the lane, and when the final buzzer sounded, Marshall defeated Martinsville by the score of 66-34 to improve their record to 6-10 on the season.
Payton McGuire led a balanced Lions attack by scoring 14 points. During one sequence in the early going, McGuire hit four consecutive three-pointers to break the game wide open. Zach Jones scored a career-high 12 points, while Tucker Osborn sank three triples on his way to scoring 11 points. Bryce Griguhn had 8 points, and Garrett Pugh had 7. Tommy Sheehy had 7 points to go along with a team-high 12 rebounds. Brady Landrus scored 5, and Liam Keim scored 2.
In the JV game, Ethan Sumner led Marshall in scoring with 8 points. Brady Landrus finished with 5, while DJ Williams had 4. Cage Stuckey ended up with 2 points.
Marshall has a quick turnaround tomorrow afternoon as the Lions take on Richland County High School’s Olney Tigers in the opening round of the Little Illini Conference Tournament hosted by Robinson High School. Be sure to read the recap of that game to find out where and when the Lions play their next game.
Tucker Osborn (2) knocked down three 3-pointers in Marshall's win over Martinsville
Payton McGuire led the Lions with 14 points against Martinsville
Liam Keim (3) drops in a shot inside the lane for Marshall against Martinsville