In a battle for Wamac conference supremacy Friday night at Marion, the host Indians were doomed by a dreadful second quarter and were downed by the Raiders of Williamsburg, 53-37.

With five veteran senior starters (four of them tall and all fast), Williamsburg simply outplayed the scrappy but less experienced West Division challengers.

The Indians (7-3) did hold their own for awhile, displaying a feisty defense that kept them within a basket at 11-9 after the first quarter. But then their shooting turned as icy as the outdoor air.

Marion managed only two buckets in the second quarter, the first coming on the heels of a 13-0 Williamsburg run.

Gunning like the Raiders of the long arc, meanwhile, the visitors hit four 3-pointers in the first half and stretched the lead to 27-13. Marion just could not buy a basket close to the hoop.

“We had good shots,” said Marion Coach Mike Manderscheid. “We took the shots we wanted to take. But we had trouble finishing down low. If we’d made a few of those, then maybe they have to cover our posts and it opens up our guards.”

Instead, the lanky and quick Raiders (8-1) put on a clinic of transition basketball – grabbing rebounds and pushing the ball up the floor for breakaways. Eight of their 16 second-quarter points came on perfect free-throw shooting when fouled going in for layups.

“They’re a very athletic team,” Manderscheid said. “And they have really good guard play. I think they’re even better shooters than they showed tonight.”

Though they did miss a shot or two, 6-foot-1 playmaker Adam Klein pumped in 16 points while 6-foot-2 running mate Josh Koeppel drained 15. And the two of them were 14 of 15 from the foul line.

Dogged all night by the taller defenders, Marion leading scorer Craig Engle was held to 12 points. No other Indian hit double digits.

“This was a measuring-stick game for us,” Manderscheid noted, “to see what we have to do to get better. But our kids know what we’re looking for. They understand they need to take smart shots. It’s just that some nights the ball falls through easier than other nights.”

WILLIAMSBURG (53) – Zach Schlabaugh 2 1-2 6, Josh Koeppel 46-7 15, Adam Klein 4 8-8 16, Jackson Subbert 1 0-0 2, Brady Stewart 2 2-2 6, Derek Greiner 0 0-0 0, Noah Heitshusen 1 0-0 3, Ben Subbert 1 0-1 2, Allyn Francis 1 0-0 3. Totals 16 17-20 53.

MARION (37) – Baylor Fish 2 2-2 7, Craig Engle 5 1-2 12, Jacob Manderscheid 1 0-0 3, Derek Smith 3 2-3 8, Terrence Williams 0 0-0 0, Cody Alberts 0 0-0 0, Devin Quinn 2 2-2 6, DeShaun Quinn 0 1-2 1. Totals  13 8-11 37.

Halftime – Williamsburg 27, Marion 13. 3-point goals – Williamsburg 4 (Schlabaugh 1, Koeppel 1, Heitshusen 1, Francis 1), Marion 3 (Fish 1, Engle 1, Manderscheid 1).