Marion Boys Fall To Liberty In Division 3 State Quarterfinals

SALEM, Va. – The Marion boys basketball team has continually earned praise for its hustle and heart.

Marion earned more positive reviews Saturday, but the Scarlet Hurricane could not break one of the longest dry spans in Mountain Empire athletics.

Region III champion Liberty used quickness and defense too stop Marion, 61-50, in Saturday’s Group AA, Division 3 state quarterfinals at the Salem Civic Center.

No team from Southwest Virginia has won a Group AA boys state basketball title since the Virginia High School League realignment in 1970.
The latest storyline was familiar. Liberty (22-6) was quicker and much more aggressive on defense.

“When you get out of Southwest Virginia, it’s a different style of game of basketball,” Marion Brad Haga said. “If we want to go to the next level, we’ll have to get used to it.”

Marion was able to open leads of 4-1 and 17-15 in the first quarter, then was outscored 10-2 in the second quarter.

“We scouted Marion, but I don’t think our guys really knew how hard Marion really played,” Liberty coach Jeff Monroe said. “We had to respond.”

Despite losing 6-foot-6 senior center Carlton Payne to an ankle injury midway through the first quarter, Liberty used its transition game to gradually pull away.

“We were hoping somebody would step up when Payne went out,” said Monroe, a former assistant to Virginia High coaching great at Altavista High School.

Six-foot-two senior guard Chris Harmon (20 points) delivered a game-high 20 points for the Minutemen with a series of creative drives. Harmon said his teammates were “shocked” by the intensity of Marion.

“I think we went in thinking it was going to be cakewalk,” Harmon said. “Marion came out real scrappy and playing good defense. We had to stop settling for jump shots and go to work on defense.”

Liberty opened the second half with an 11-point run, prompting Haga to call for a time with 5:15 left in the third quarter.

“It was a physical, fast-paced game,’’ Haga said. “We like that style, but I don’t think I had our guys ready. I underestimated quickness and athletic ability of Liberty.”

The loyal Marion fans were on their feet after the Scarlet Hurricane chopped the deficit to 46-34 after three quarters. Harmon then keyed a decisive eight-point run for Liberty.

“We had a horrible second quarter, but we kept whittling away and never quit,” Haga said.

Junior Gavin Roe managed to work free from the sticky Liberty defense to score 17 points.

“This is a different breed of basketball from what we see in our area,” said Roe, who added four steals. “We knew this was going to be hardest challenge we would face all year. Our goal was to keep the game close, and try to pull it out at the end.
“Our team has the most heart, that’s what carried us. We just need to get used to playing quicker teams that play this type of defense.”

Senior point guard Brock Hanna supplied 12 points for Marion, which lost 6-0 junior center Matt Noe to fouls in the final quarter. “Things are very touchy in our area, but I like this style.”

Noe, one of seven Marion juniors, said he plans to use Saturday’s loss as motivation.

“All of our juniors have been playing since like the fourth grade,” Noe said. “We hope to be back here next year.”

Marion (17-11) must replace four seniors. It’s also uncertain who will lead the Scarlet Hurricane since Haga coached on an interim basis this season.

“I’ll have to talk to my wife and make some decisions at the end of the season,” said Haga, who led Marion to its first state tourney berth in 18 years. “Being an athletic director and head basketball coach is very time consuming,” Haga said. “There have been some long weeks, but “I’ve enjoyed every minute I’ve been around these kids.”

Liberty advanced to the Group AA state title three straight years from 1996-98, with two championships under former Emory & Henry coach Mark Hanks.

MARION (50) – Johnson 2 0-0 5, Hanna 5 0-1 12, Roe 6 3-4 17, Noe 2 0-0 4, Jason Dotson 2 2-5 6, Blevins 0 0-0 0, Joey Dotson 1 0-0 2, Thomas 0 0-0 0, Bowman 0 0-0 0, Lincoln 1 0-0 2, Helton 1 0-0 2. Totals 20-59 5-10 50.

LIBERTY (61) – Gilchrist 0 0-0 0, Thompson 7 1-2 15, Payne 2 0-0 4, C. Harmon 7 4-12 20, Nichols 4 2-2 10, Reynolds 3 3-6 9, Hayden 0 0-0 0, M. Harmon 0 0-0 0, Blake 0 0-0 0, McCoy 0 0-0 0, Blake 0 0-0 0, Martin 1 0-0 3, Sparrow 0 0-2 0, Harper 0 0-0 0, Thompson 0 0-0 0. Totals 24-54 10-24 61.
Marion 17 2 15 16-50
Liberty 17 10 19 15-61
3-point goals – Marion 5-23 (Johnson, Hanna 2, Roe 2), Liberty 3-6 (Harmon 2, Martin). Total fouls-Marion 17, Liberty 11. Fouled out-Noe. Technical foul-Harmon (slapping backboard)
agregory@bristolnews.com (276) 645-2544.