Dec 15, 2024
Marietta’s Brayden Jones, left, goes up for a shot during Saturday’s game against Barnesville at Sutton Gym. Marietta won, 75-44. (Photo by Jordan Holland)
MARIETTA — Marietta has had some intense battles early in the 2024-25 season, from a narrow victory over rival Warren to a double-overtime thriller against New Philadelphia.
Saturday night’s contest against visiting Barnesville had a different feel to it for the Tigers, as they cruised to a 75-44 victory to improve to 4-0.
Marietta scored the first 19 points of the game and led 21-2 at one point in the first quarter.
Barnesville (2-3) answered with an 8-0 run, with Casey Carpenter’s 3-pointer to begin the second period getting the Shamrocks within 11, 21-10.
Junior Bass responded with back-to-back baskets for Marietta, and BHS never got closer than 14 points from there.
“I thought we came out with fire and intensity jumping out to that lead,” said Marietta head coach Austin Gardner, “but our effort wasn’t great at other times. I think maybe we had some personal agendas. Barnesville is an uptempo team and they outhustled us at times down the floor and on rebounds. It was a bit more of a flat atmosphere tonight, so maybe that played a role. We’ve got some things to work on.”
Carpenter led all scorers with 28 points, but no other Barnesville player had more than five points.
Conversely, Marietta had eight players score at least seven points. Bass led the way with 13 points plus a game-high 14 rebounds for a double-double. Zaiden Wittekind added 12 points, seven boards and four steals — his dunk off an assist from Brayden Jones made it 59-37 with five minutes remaining. Lucas Miller and Trey Hawkins had 10 points apiece while Braiden Plaugher and Seth Britton scored eight each. Jones scored seven points and had six boards while Owen Riley reached double figures in the rebounding category with 10 to go along with seven points and four assists. Riley’s putback basket with 1:20 left made it a 30-point game, 72-42.
“Owen had a good work rate and so did Braiden,” Gardner said. “Trey continues to do a great job handling everything. We’re going to need everybody.”
Despite playing fast most of the game, Marietta committed just five turnovers. The Tigers attempted 74 shots and had 52 rebounds.
Copyright © News and Sentinel | https://www.newsandsentinel.com | 519 Juliana St., Parkersburg, WV 26101 | 304-485-1891
