MARION, Ill. – After falling in the championship game of its own tournament, the Trigg County Wildcats returned to the win column Friday night in the opening round of the Marion Holiday Classic. Trigg County, which finished runner-up to LaRue County in the Kentucky Machine & Engineering Christmas Classic earlier in the week, defeated Herrin, Ill., 65-62 in an opening round matchup in the Marion Holiday Classic. One of the area’s busiest boys’ high school basketball teams before Christmas and following the holiday, Trigg County got back into tournament play right after the holiday.

Senior Jonathan King scorched the nets for a game-high 38 points and Shelton Burruss added 16 as Trigg County outlasted Herrin.

The Wildcats led Herrin 15-11 at the conclusion of the opening quarter. Trigg County toted a slim 26-25 lead into the intermission. After holding another one-point win at the end of the third quarter, Trigg County edged Herrin 18-16 in the final frame.

Three different Herrin players reached double figures in the scoring column.

With the win, Trigg County improved to 9-2. Following the win over Herrin, Trigg County moved on to face Lake County, Tenn., a 80-54 win over Union County in another opening round game.

Trigg County 65, Herrin (Ill.) 62

Trigg County (65) — Burruss 16, White 2, Wright 7, King 38, Mitchell 2.

Herrin (Ill.) (62) — Gubert 19, Sherrill 7, Mallow 21, Brown 10, Hampleman 4, Harris 1.

Trigg County.......15 11 21 18–65

Herrin (Ill.).........11 14 21 16–62