Jairus Boyer launches a three over a Marian defender during Tuesday’s loss to the Knights. (Photos by Nick Goralczyk)

MISHAWAKA — In the third quarter of Tuesday’s game at Mishawaka Marian Wawasee junior Jacob Hand took a three-point attempt. The shot looked to have the perfect release, the right arc and everything else needed to tickle the twine. But, instead, Hand’s three hit every part of the rim, back to front, near side to far, one last roll around before finally deciding to not sink.

While, if made, that shot would not have made a difference in the middle of a 63-26 blowout win for the host Knights, it was a perfect example of the struggles the Warriors had on the court, nothing was breaking their way.

Tuesday’s loss was the most recent in a three-game stretch of large defeats. Wawasee had its three-game winning streak snapped by Warsaw 56-25 on Dec. 16 then rolled that into a 52-34 loss at Columbia City on Dec. 20 before ultimately falling at Marian. In each game the Warriors fell victim to big runs.

In Tuesday’s affair the run came in the second quarter, after a very exciting and competitive opening frame between the two teams. Marian held a 12-10 lead going into the second and would blow the game wide open at that point. Following a big three off the bench from Wawasee’s Bennett Hoffert, the score was 16-15 in favor of Marian. The Knights closed the half on a 23-1 run to take total control of the game.

“We talked before the game about sustaining some play,” said Wawasee head coach Jon Everingham. “We did not play well. We started better tonight, but we’re having trouble sustaining play. I think that’s normal for a team that’s growing and trying to get better. It’s just a tough sell to the kids when we get beat as bad as we did tonight.

“We just have to keep plugging away. I’ve been in situations before when the record has not been great and you’re really struggling. You have to just keep growing.”

Zak Linnemeier battles for position under the hoop.

With 22 seconds remaining in the half, Tyler Smith stood at the line to shoot two for the Warriors. During his first attempt Everingham was given a technical followed immediately by a second and was tossed from the game. The decision was surprising, to say the least, as the usually animated Everingham was calm and still in his coach’s box. It was just another part of the night that the team is hoping to forget about.

“I apologize to the team and the coaches for getting ejected tonight,” Everingham offered after the game. “There’s never a good excuse to get ejected from a game. In my career I have one technical foul in nine years. In my opinion, I did not leave my box, I did not curse and I did not raise my voice. It’s one of those things where I’m looking forward to getting response from the official that thought that I was out of line.”

Things did not improve for the Warriors in the second half as the knights closed the third quarter on an 8-0 run to lead 52-21 before closing the game out in the fourth.

Trevon Coleman kept his streak alive as he led the team with 10 points, his eighth double figure effort in as many games. Smith had four for Wawasee, no other player had more than three for the Warriors. Michael Hemingway led Marian with 20 points.

Wawasee (4-4) will travel to DeKalb on Tuesday to take on Everingham’s former team. The coach will currently not be able to travel with the team given his ejection.

Wawasee’s JV picked up another victory, 40-34 over Marian Tuesday night. The JV Warriors were led offensively by Hoffert’s nine points. Wawasee now stands at 7-1 on the year.

Wawasee’s Jon Everingham, along with his staff, look for an explanation after the coach received a double technical.