Bulldogs still undefeated, smash Panthers on way to district title

The Marlin Bulldogs remain undefeated this season and are preparing to continue climbing the ranks to the state championship. There were two games left in district play after Friday’s match against the Mart Panthers, where the Bulldogs brought home the ninth win in a row. 

The home team nabbed the tipoff and took the first basket, but the Bulldogs quickly matched their steam. The ball went back and forth, with each team succeeding in sinking their goals until the Marlin boys shot into overdrive. Four baskets were ‘swished’ before the ball made it back into the Panther’s goal again. By the end of the first quarter, the teams looked to be seemingly well matched.

The second quarter began with a score of 15-9, favoring Marlin. The boys traded back and forth shooting free throws after free throws as both side’s defenses were on full alert. Mart finished out the quarter with a two-pointer that took them to 16 points with about five minutes on the clock. Neither team allowed the other to score during that time, leaving a score of 16-23 as the teams breaked for halftime.

Marlin took charge after the short hiatus and began to widen the score gap. Thanks to aggressive defense from the Panthers, Bulldog Derion Gullette, who scored 21 points throughout the game, sank four free throws in a row and took the score to 29 points for Marlin. By the top of the fourth quarter, Mart had only added a single point to the board. 

With a 12 point lead, the Bulldogs knew it was time to dig deep if they wanted to keep their win. Their vigorous defense tactics gave the Panthers a chance to add a few free throws to the scoreboard, but Marlin quickly upped the ante. The Bulldogs took the score difference and doubled it with two pointers from various team members. They took the game with a final score of 43-28. 

The Bulldogs face Dawson for their last game of District level play on Friday night at 6:30 p.m. From there, they will head to bi-district play. Follow Marlin Athletics (@marlin_bulldogs) on Twitter for the most up to date information on ticketing and game information