RICHWOOD, Ohio -- Marion Pleasant went on the road Friday night and beat former MOAC member North Union 56-49 behind a fast start from lengthy forward and gridiron star Ethan Warner, who led all scorers with 19 points.

Jumping out to a 15-6 lead after one quarter, Pleasant created a deficit that North Union could never quite catch. Warner was a force early for the Spartans, tallying six points and five rebounds through one.

The second quarter played about even, as the Spartans from Marion Pleasant went into halftime leading 28-19. North Union sophomore Preston Crabtree heated up in the frame, putting up nine of his 17 points. Stud forward Ethan Warner went to the half leading all scorers with 15 points.

North Union played a zone for the majority of the night, which really helped them get back into it. Aggressive defense and good ball movement put the Wildcats down just six points heading into the final quarter.

The Spartans put the nail in the coffin late in the fourth, despite the second half effort from North Union 6’6 junior Harley Day. After some big plays from senior Gage Williams and a big two-hand slam from Warner, the Spartans went on to defeat North Union 56-49.

Leaving Richwood with a win, Marion Pleasant moves to 5-1 on the season. Dropping a tough one, North Union falls to 6-2.

Ethan Warner (6’5 F/ Marion Pleasant/ 2019): Ethan Warner was unstoppable in the paint on Friday night for the Spartans. The 6’5 senior did most of his damage inside but even showed good touch from distance. Going up against similar size Ethan played well and was able to get in the middle of the zone anytime he wanted. A tall presence, the young Spartan is a terror on both sides of the court. Warner is one of the better big men in division three in the central-district, and should continue to put up good numbers for Pleasant this season.

Gage Williams (6’2 WF/ Marion Pleasant/ 2019): In my second viewing of Gage, he played with very high energy once again. Though he plays a lot inside, the senior can also handle the ball at times. At 6’2, getting inside the zone wasn’t a problem. Williams was also a hound on the defensive side, consistently jumping in passing lanes. A smooth touch around the rim is the unsigned seniors go to, and he has that down.

Preston Crabtree (6’2 G / North Union / 2021): On Friday night I was impressed with Preston Crabtree’s play. The sophomore guard led his team in scoring with 17 points and was effective from all areas of the floor. The wildcat can handle the ball a bit and moves well without the ball. On ball defense also looked to be a strength for the 6’2 stud. Continue to lookout for Crabtree in the future as an under-the-radar player.