The Columbus International Lions's recent rough patch got a bit rougher on Wednesday after their third straight loss. They took a 77-72 hit to the loss column at the hands of Marion-Franklin. Despite running the score up even higher than they did in their last game last Tuesday (65), Columbus International still had to take the loss.
Columbus International's defeat came despite a true team effort from the offense, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was KJ Jones, who dropped a double-double on 38 points and 14 rebounds. That was a full 52.8% of Columbus International's points, marking the fifth time in a row he's earned more than a third of the team's points. Another player making a difference was Pharoahe Zaire, who dropped a double-double on 21 points and 11 rebounds.
Marion-Franklin's win was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Neko Tuff, who scored 19 points along with five assists and five rebounds. The team also got some help courtesy of Terry Black, who dropped a double-double on 17 points and 14 rebounds.
Columbus International's loss was their third straight at home, which dropped their record down to 3-8. That rough patch can't be blamed on the team's offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 61.0 points per game. As for Marion-Franklin, they have been performing well recently as they've won four of their last five matchups, which provided a nice bump to their 7-6 record this season.
Both squads are looking forward to the support of their home crowds in their upcoming games. Columbus International will take on Northland at 7:00 p.m. on Monday. Northland presents a significant challenge as they come into the match much higher ranked than Columbus International in Ohio (Northland is ranked 179th, while Columbus International is ranked 700th). As for Marion-Franklin, they will be playing in front of their home fans against Independence at 7:00 p.m. on Monday. Independence comes in still looking for their first win of the season.
