Swamp Foxes trip up Bishops

You could read Mallory Molony's lips a mile away as she stood near the Bishop England bench as the final seconds of Saturday's Class AA Lower State championship ticked off the clock.

"I feel awful," said Molony who fouled out with 7:25 left in the game against Marion.

Molony's foul trouble, combined with Marion's strong inside game resulted in The Swamp Foxes' 77-70 victory over the Bishops in front of approximately 4,500 fans at the The Citadel's McAlister Field House.

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Marion Tops Bishops for Lower State

The Marion Foxes beat the Bishop England girls 77-70 in the Class AA Lower State basketball championship in front of approximately 4,500 fans at The Citadel's McAlister Field House.

Molony picked up her second foul of the game with 7:33 left in the first half, and was charged with her third foul just 90 seconds later. She played most of the third quarter and scored 16 of her 21 points. She picked up a fourth foul with 21 seconds left in the third and fouled out with 7:25 left in the game.

The Bishops led the defending state champions 57-53 when Molony exited, but couldn't hold on.

The victory gave Marion a 26-2 record and a berth in next Saturday's state championship game, which will be held at the Colonial Life Arena in Columbia.

The Swamp Foxes will play Southside, a 52-49 winner over Eau Claire. Bishop England finished with a 21-4 record.

"Mallory's foul trouble and the physical inside game of Marion was something we had to stop," Bishop England coach Paul Runey said. "But Mallory got into foul trouble, Elizabeth Works got into foul trouble and that took us out of our game plan."

Runey said he had to insert Molony back into the lineup early in the fourth quarter because he feared Marion would force his team to play at a frantic pace.

The Swamp Foxes outscored the Bishops 24-13 over the final eight minutes. Marion's 6-foot junior Geneika Brantley scored 10 of her 26 points in the final quarter. Candace Wright, another talented junior, scored 21 points for the Swamp Foxes , including 12 in the third quarter. Tyshanna Lester scored 11 and Amira Timmons added 10.

Molony led the Bishops with 21 points, while sophomores Amber Corbett and Katelyn Grisillo scored 15 and 12 respectively. Sophomore, Mary Wyman Moore, added 10 points.

Marion coach Leon Sturkey said Bishop England was fundamentally sound and well-coached. "But we thought coming in that we could establish the low post. We knew that would be a part of our advantage."

Runey said four sophomores played most of the second half, and he was proud of their effort.

"Obviously we wanted to play next weekend," he said. "But the girls played hard and had an outstanding season."

Bishop England (70): Grisillo 12, Breland 6, Corbett 15, Latorre 4, Moore 19, Molony 21, Collier 2.

Marion (77): Grant 9, Timmons 10, Wright 21, Lester 11, Brantley 26.

Records: Marion 26-2, Bishop England 21-4.