Centralia downs MJHS boys in Class L semifinals

INA -- Centralia handled the primary weapon that has been so successful for the Marion Junior High School boys basketball team in their semifinal meeting Tuesday night at the SIJHSAA Class L state tournament.
Marion's biggest strength has been its relentless pressure defense but Centralia negated it and knocked off the Wildcats, 56-41, to advance to the championship game at Rend Lake College's Waugh Gymnasium.
Marion is now 22-2 and plays Benton in the third-place game Thursday at 6 p.m.
"All season long we have thrived off points from turnovers," said MJHS coach Bradley Griffith. "But tonight, Centralia did a great job handling our pressure and we just couldn't get any transition buckets. They turned it into a half-court game and they just made more shots than we did."
Centralia led 16-13 after the first quarter behind 10 points from Lavar Burns Jr., with Marion's points mainly coming from two 3-pointers by Rayzhaun Bardo.
Burns, who finished with 14 on the night, didn't score in the second period but Centralia went into halftime leading, 22-21.
"Early on we really struggled boxing out their strong kids," Griffith said. "But I thought after the first quarter our kids adjusted and battled their guts out down low."
Bardo had a big third quarter with nine points, including two more 3-pointers, but Centralia's David Tabor started rolling with nine of his own to help the Tigers increase the lead to 37-34 at the third stop.
Tabor then pumped in eight more in the fourth to finish with a game-high 23 points and send the Tigers into the championship against Collinsville.
"It's very disappointing," Griffith said. "We've talked all year long that our goal was first place. So to fall just a little bit short really hurts. But I am still extremely proud of our guys."
Bardo, who didn't score in the final frame, was Marion's only player in double figures with 19 points. Isaiah McLorn and Tariq Sanders both had six and Trevor Jackson and DaMareon Cooper both had four. Venson Newsom, who had 14 in the quarterfinals, scored just two points, both in the fourth quarter. Cooper also pulled down seven rebounds and Sanders had six.
It was Marion's first meeting with the Tigers since an 80-27 win over a shorthanded version on Nov. 20. The teams were supposed to play more recently at Centralia but it was canceled by icy weather.
Marion beat Benton twice during the regular season, but the Rangers led at halftime in the first meeting on Marion's floor before the Wildcats went on a 14-0 run to win 38-29. In the second meeting, the game was tied at 26 at halftime and Marion went on an 11-1 run to win 53-38.