By GARRETT WELLBROCK
Tiger Media Network
OAKLEY, Kan. — The TMP-Marian boys looked every bit like a team preparing for March last weekend.
The No.8 Monarchs shot confidently, defended with purpose, and built a commanding early lead on the way to a 67-54 win over Oakley in Mid-Continent League play on Thursday before TMP closed the regular season Friday at Norton, where Grant Nehls scored back-to-back field goals in the final seconds to secure a 70-68 victory and clinch the MCL regular-season championship outright.
Against Oakley, TMP (17-5, 10-0 MCL) wasted little time setting the tone. After a brief 2-2 tie, the Monarchs buried three straight 3-pointers to ignite an 11-2 run. Ty Schmeidler led the charge, knocking down three first-quarter triples on his way to a game-high 17 points.
Carson Liles added another late 3 to give TMP a 25-11 advantage after one quarter.
“We’ve become very comfortable against the zone because we’ve seen it so much,” TMP head coach Bill Meagher said. “It’s really big for us to be able to hit those shots early.”
The Monarchs continued to build separation in the second quarter, stretching the lead to 20 during a 9-0 run bridging the first and second periods. TMP outscored Oakley 16-8 in the second to take firm control into halftime.
Midway through the third quarter, the lead ballooned to 27. Nehls punctuated the period with a two-handed dunk, sending TMP into the fourth quarter ahead 56-33. Nehls finished with 15 points and eight rebounds.
“I really liked how we played the first half,” Meagher said. “That was some really good basketball.”
Oakley responded with energy in the final quarter. Manuel Mancia scored 12 of his 26 points in the fourth as the Plainsmen outscored TMP 21-11 in the period. The Monarchs were outscored 35-26 in the second half, a margin that did not go unnoticed.
“We didn’t guard like we normally guard. We didn’t rebound like we normally rebound,” Meagher said. “But sometimes you still find a way to get a win on the road.”
The road wins over Oakley and Norton extended TMP’s winning streak to nine games entering postseason play.
On the girls’ side, Oakley snapped TMP’s five-game winning streak with a 45-36 victory on Thursday. TMP rebounded Friday with a 52-25 victory over Norton to finish the regular season 14-7 overall and 8-2 in league play. The Lady Monarchs held Norton to just two field goals in both the second and fourth quarters while building a double-digit lead.
On Thursday, the Lady Plainsmen jumped out to a 10-2 lead and later built a 17-5 advantage. TMP responded with an 8-0 run and cut the deficit to two at halftime after Brynn Rebel converted a four-point play late in the second quarter. Rebel led TMP with 15 points.
Entering the matchup, TMP coach John Linn emphasized the importance of defense against an Oakley team averaging 55 points per game.
“Defense is crucial every game,” Linn said. “The goal is to keep them in the 40s.”
TMP did just that, but struggled offensively down the stretch. The third quarter turned into a defensive battle, with just 11 total points scored. Oakley opened the fourth on a 6-0 run and held TMP to 13 second-half points to secure the win.
Linn credited Oakley’s aggressiveness but pointed to confidence and execution as key factors moving forward.
“It starts with attitude and confidence,” Linn said earlier in the week. “We’ve got to move the ball, be aggressive and trust our shots.”
With the regular season complete, both Monarch teams now turn their focus toward sub-state.
The boys host Smith Center on Friday night, and the girls host Sterling on Thursday.
This story was written for INF 349 Convergent Media Lab, a course within the Department of Informatics at Fort Hays State University.