ÀÏ˾»úÖ±²¥

photo by: Kim North

John MarshallÀÏ˾»úÖ±²¥™s Jackson Helms (23) shoots over top of Union LocalÀÏ˾»úÖ±²¥™s Billy Schumacher (13) during action from Tuesday nightÀÏ˾»úÖ±²¥™s game inside ÀÏ˾»úÖ±²¥˜The HangarÀÏ˾»úÖ±²¥™ at Union Local High School. Helms had 10 points as the Monarchs fell, 65-52.

MORRISTOWN – It may have been snowy outside, but inside ‘The Hangar’ it was raining three’s, especially in the second quarter when Union Local knocked down half of its 10 bonus goals in a 19-2 run that carried the Jets to a 65-52 repeat victory over John Marshall in boys’ high school basketball action.

Brandon Mehl and Billy Schumacher each tickled the twine twice from long range and Dre Saunders added the fifth as Union Local (8-5) turned a 21-all deadlock with 5-minutes, 30-seconds left in the second quarter into a 40-23 advantage early in the third quarter as Mehl connected on the fourth of his six triples to ignite a 7-0 spurt, prompting first-year John Marshall head coach Mike Thomas into a timeout.

“We need to see the ball go through the basket early and that happened tonight,” Union Local head coach Zach Delman said. “We need that to get our confidence going and we hadn’t seen that much lately. I don’t think we’ve shot the ball well lately, and we’ve got some guys that can shoot it well.”

The Monarchs (2-7) pulled to within 13, 40-27, but a 8-4 Jets surge allowed them to extend the margin to 48-31 at the end of three quarters. Mehl had nine of his game-best 26 points in the third panel.

“We finally started a first quarter good tonight, but they (Union Local) made shots tonight,” Thomas said. “They scored 23 points in the second quarter and we just couldn’t get it going from the outside. They kept making three’s and we couldn’t get shots to fall.”

John Marshall creeped to within 10, 50-40, midway through the fourth quarter as Union Local got a little sloppy with the ball, charting 15 of its 18 turnovers after the intermission. That’s something that Delman said has been a trend.

“That’s kind of been the story of our season,” Delman said. “We’ve been up-and-down as far as runs and such. There have been stretches where we’ve looked really good, and then there’s been times when we look like a 2- or 3-win team.

“It’s those mental lapses that concern me. I’m proud of the effort tonight, but I’d like to see us be more consistent at times.”

In addition to Mehl’s game-high total, Saunders chipped in 21 and Schumacher finished with 10. The trio combined for 57 of the Jets’ 65.

“We lean on those guys pretty heavy,” Delman said. “It was good to get a win tonight.

Hayden Gaiser came off the Monarchs bench to score a team-leading 18 points. Jackson Helms added 10 and Kayden Knapp nine.

“I’m proud of the guys. We came out of the gates swinging, but we just couldn’t sustain it,” Thomas noted.

Union Local held a slim, 28-24, edge off the glass as Peyton Causby grabbed six, including five in the third quarter. Mehl and Schumacher evenly divided 10. Briar Haught had eight to pace the Monarchs. Knapp added five.

John Marshall turned the ball over just 13 times.

Union Local prevailed 76-60 in mid-December in Moundsville.