By Paul Lecker
For Wausau Pilot & Review
MARSHFIELD – Marshfield finished the game on a 10-2 run during the final 3 1/2 minutes and defeated Wausau West 50-41 in a Wisconsin Valley Conference boys basketball game Friday at the Marshfield High School Fieldhouse.
Marshfield (5-3 overall) moves into a tie for first place in the Wisconsin Valley Conference at 4-0 with Stevens Point, and the two teams will meet Jan. 14 at Marshfield.
The game was tight throughout, with both teams holding four-point leads in the first half. A 3-pointer from Carson Kvernen and a basket by Gavin Fravert helped the Tigers take an 18-17 lead into halftime as both teams struggled to shoot the ball.
The game was tied at four different points in the second half as both teams went through a stretch of turnovers, but started cooking shooting the ball.
A 3-pointer from Fravert gave Marshfield the lead at 31-30 with 8:21 to go and it would lead the rest of the way, but the Warriors weren’t about to go away.
West stayed within 1-3 points for the next several minutes. A basket by Jack Berens, who finished with a team-high 14 points, brought the Warriors to within one at 40-39 with 4:06 to go before Marshfield went on its run to finish off the victory.
Baskets by Luke LeMoine and Kvernen, who had a game-high 17 points, and four free throws by Chase Hinson resulted in an 8-0 run to push the Tigers’ lead to nine in the final minute.
West ended the run on a basket from Brett Butalla, but Brooks Hinson made a pair of free throws to finish off the victory for Marshfield. Brooks Hinson finished with 13 points.
Both teams will be off until next Friday. West will play at Wisconsin Rapids and Marshfield will host Stevens Point as part of the girls-boys doubleheader. The girls game starts at 6:30 p.m. with the boys to follow. Both Marshfield-Point games will be live at zaleskisports.com.
Tigers 50, Warriors 41
Wausau West 17 24 – 41
Marshfield 18 32 – 50
WAUSAU WEST (41): Beckett Teske 0-2 0-0 0, Braedon Kapitz 0-0 0-2 0, Jaraul Walker 0-3 0-0 0, Will Matteson 3-6 0-0 9, Jack Berens 5-10 4-4 14, Brett Butalla 2-4 2-2 6, Cole Nelson 3-8 1-1 8, Daniel Allen 2-3 0-0 4, Vince Hanz 0-0 0-0 0. FG: 15-36. FT: 7-9. 3-pointers: 4-15 (Matteson 3-6, Nelson 1-6, Berens 0-1, Teske 0-1, Walker 0-1). Rebounds: 17 (Walker 7). Turnovers: 14. Fouls: 14. Fouled out: Matteson. Record: 6-5, 1-2 Wisconsin Valley Conference.
MARSHFIELD (50): Marcus Perkins 2-2 0-0 4, Chase Hinson 0-6 4-4 4, Gavin Fravert 3-9 0-0 8, Carson Kvernen 7-10 2-2 17, Luke LeMoine 2-4 0-1 4, Brooks Hinson 4-8 4-4 13, Owen Hanson 0-0 0-0 0, Carston Freis 0-1 0-0 0. FG: 18-40. FT: 10-11. 3-pointers: 4-18 (Fravert 2-7, Kvernen 1-2, B. Hinson 1-3, Freis 0-1, C. Hinson 0-5). Rebounds: 23 (Fravert 7). Turnovers: 9. Fouls: 11. Fouled out: none. Record: 5-3, 4-0 Wisconsin Valley Conference.
