Big effort from Calen Claypool boosts Marion

MARION -- It took Brayson Laube nearly 8 minutes to take his first shot.

Color the Marion Wolves unfazed.

Laube eventually got his, and Calen Claypool enjoyed a career night to lead Class 3A fourth-ranked Marion past Solon, 68-58, in a Wamac Conference East Division boys’ basketball game Tuesday night at Marion High School.

The Wolves (13-3 overall, 5-0 division) won their seventh straight game.

“We knew they were going to chase our all-state guard,” Claypool said. “We set some good screens for him. He sets them for us; he’s a great screener.”

Laube didn’t get on the board until a three-point play with 0:02 left in the first quarter, but still finished with a game-high 26 points.

As for Claypool? How about 17 points and 15 rebounds?

“I was looking to crash whenever I could,” he said. “This is a good win. Solon’s a good team. They’re tough every time we play them.”

Solon (9-5, 3-2) was still right in Marion’s rear-view mirror at 44-40 with 7 minutes to play. But the Wolves pulled away behind a 27-point fourth quarter.

Myles Davis had a pair of key fourth-quarter 3-pointers and finished with 11 points. University of Iowa football recruit Alex Mota posted eight points and seven rebounds.

Gehrig Turner led Solon with 16 points. Sean Stahle and Vince Steinbrech added 11 apiece.

The Spartans chased Laube from sideline to sideline throughout the first quarter, but Claypool kept the denial from harming the Wolves. He had six points and five rebounds in the first quarter, and Marion led 18-12 after a period, 32-23 at half.

A signee of Augustana (S.D.), Laube got loose in the second quarter. He had 11 points by halftime, and the Wolves enjoyed a 32-23 lead.

Marion 68, Solon 58

At Marion

SOLON (58): Sean Stahle 4-8 2-2 11, Vince Steinbrech 5-10 0-1 11, Jake Benzing 2-3 2-2 6, Oaken Foster 1-4 1-1 3, Gehrig turner 5-11 5-7 16, Austin Knight 0-1 0-0 0, Will Cusick 1-1 0-0 3, Rylen Stiegelmeyer 2-6 0-0 4, Cole Buffington 0-0 4-4 4. Totals 20-44 14-17 58.

MARION (68): Brayson Laube 8-14 9-9 26, Myles Davis 4-7 0-0 11, Jordan Fischer 0-4 0-0 0, Alex Mota 4-10 0-2 8, Calen Claypool 7-11 3-6 17, Payton Hodges 0-3 0-0 0, Elijah Smith 1-2 0-0 2, Kylar Whitman 1-2 0-0 2, Trey Franck 1-1 0-0 2. Totals 26-54 12-17 68.

Solon 12 11 12 23 -- 58

Marion 18 14 9 27 -- 68

3-point goals: Solon 4-13 (Stahle 1-3, Steinbrech 1-2, Benzing 0-1, Foster 0-2, Turner 1-3, Cusick 1-1, Stiegelmeier 0-1), Marion 4-19 (Laube 1-5, Davis 3-6, Fischer 0-3, Mota 0-3, Hodges 0-2). Team fouls: Solon 19, Marion 18. Fouled out: none. Rebounds: Solon 24 (Turner 5), Marion 33 (Claypool 15). Assists: Solon 3 (three with 1), Marion 7 (Fischer 3). Steals: Solon 4 (four with 1), Marion 8 (Davis 3). Turnovers: Solon 13, Marion 9.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com