Wildcats fall to Cairo in first round of Mid-Winter Classic

WEST FRANKFORT -- Damarius Taylor scored all but four of his 29 points in the second half as the Cairo Pilots knocked off the Marion Wildcats, 58-55, Saturday night in the opening session of the West Frankfort Mid-Winter Classic at Max Morris Gymnasium.
Marion has now lost four straight since winning six in a row and sits at 11-5 overall.
The Wildcats were without starting guards Justin Saddoris and Jaden Lacy against the athletic Pilots. Saddoris was in attendance but nursing an injury, while Lacy was not with the team due to a family issue.
Marion did regain the services of starting forward Jackson Connor, who missed Thursday's loss to Centralia after battling the flu for a week, and the 6-foot-5 sophomore scored 12 points.
Connor attempted the game's final shot, a 30-foot launch at the buzzer that would have forced overtime but was far off the mark.
A game that had eight lead changes ended up being tied at 55 with 1:50 left after Connor scored on an inbounds pass. Marion got the ball back after Terrell Henderson made a highlight-reel stuff block, but the Wildcats turned the ball over.
Cairo's James Vaughn was then fouled and split the tosses for his only point of the game with 1:05 remaining. On Marion's end, Henderson lowered his shoulder into a defender and was whistled for an offensive foul and another turnover.
Cairo left the door open when Fairleigh Ward, who had 13 points, missed two free throws with 22.3 on the clock, but once again, Marion turned the ball over. The Wildcats were marked for 24 turnovers in the loss.
Taylor put in two free throws with 3.7 left, then after Cairo called a timeout with Marion having none left, Connor ended up with the ball beyond the right arc but missed a jumping attempt.
The Wildcats led 14-11 after the first quarter and 24-17 at halftime. Korey Houston had eight of his 12 points in the opening stanza.
Cairo took a 32-29 lead after 3-pointers from Ward and Taylor, then went ahead 44-39 after Terrell Jones hit back-to-back treys early in the fourth. Houston tied it at 46 with a bomb of his own at the 5:28 mark and the lead changed sides twice more before Taylor hit three free throws with 2:06 left.
Henderson led Marion with 14 points. Connor and Houston both had 12. Cole Schafer and Justin Johnson both had five. David Fletcher had four and Boston Ziegler put in a 3-pointer.
Marion was just 12 of 25 from the foul line. Cairo was 15 of 23.
The Wildcats return the tournament for pool play games against two very familiar foes this week. On Wednesday, Marion plays Carterville at 8:30 p.m., then goes back Friday to face Herrin, also at 8:30 p.m.
Cairo's next game is Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. against Herrin.