PLEASANT HILL — A three-minute scoreless stretch to end the third quarter doomed the Marshalltown boys’ basketball team as the Bobcats fell 43-34 to Southeast Polk in Friday’s CIML Iowa Conference opener.

Marshalltown (2-3, 0-1) trailed for the entire second quarter and much of the third before fighting all the way back from a nine-point deficit to force a tie, 23-all, at the three-minute mark of the third. But Southeast Polk (3-1, 1-0) capitalized on a technical foul that caught the Bobcats off-guard, and the momentum change gave the Rams enough cushion to keep Marshalltown at bay the rest of the way.

MHS senior Will Van Buren was whistled for a technical after tossing the ball back to an official with enough dissension to warrant the call, and Southeast Polk’s James Glenn made both of the free throws. The Rams put back a miss on the ensuing possession and took a four-point lead, 27-23, into the fourth quarter as a result.

Marshalltown was unable to close the gap after that, falling in their hard-fought conference opener.

“Overall I thought this was our most solid game of the year even though we lost,” said MHS head coach Michael Appel. “Defensively this was our most solid game, unfortunately we just couldn’t make some open looks in the second half, a lot of open looks, and that’ll happen sometimes.”

The Bobcats played a deliberate pace against Southeast Polk’s physical guards in hopes of capitalizing on limited scoring chances, and for the most part that’s how the game played out. Marshalltown led briefly, 8-7, and only trailed 21-15 at the half before working its way back to even, 23-all, in the third quarter.

“We were trying to be patient, run some clock and get a feel for the game, and they were allowing us to do that with their defense,” Appel said. “Run some clock, shorten the game a little bit and take good shots and good driving lanes when they were there, and for the most part we did that.”

Dominic Caggiano had a team-leading 15 points for Southeast Polk, while six other players contributed at least two points for the Rams. Southeast Polk made only one 3-pointer and shot 14-for-24 at the free-throw line, leaving the door open wide enough, but the Bobcats couldn’t work their way through.

Armonniey Thomas tallied 15 points to lead Marshalltown, Trevor Stamp had seven, and Austin Shomo made a pair of 3-pointers for six points. Dwight Joar added four points and Aidan DeVolder got two free throws.

“Tonight we just understood more of what we were trying to do and everyone was on board,” said Appel. “If we just make some shots I think we have that game. I’m proud of the guys’ effort, especially on the defensive end of just locking down and buying in on the defensive end of the floor. It’s good to see it start clicking on ‘D’.”

The Bobcats go back out on the road Tuesday for a cross-CIML clash with Dowling Catholic.

Southeast Polk 43, Marshalltown 34

At Pleasant Hill

MHS (2-3, 0-1) — Armonniey Thomas 5 3-5 15, Austin Shomo 2 0-0 6, Drake Kapayou 0 0-0 0, Will Van Buren 0 0-0 0, Dwight Joar 2 0-0 4, Justin Melde 0 0-0 0, Grant Greazel 0 0-0 0, Trevor Stamp 3 1-4 7, Aidan DeVolder 0 2-2 2. TOTALS 12 6-11 34.

SE POLK (3-1, 1-0) — James Glenn 3 2-2 8, Fred Johnson 0 0-2 0, Jaxon Dailey 1 1-5 3, Dominic Caggiano 5 4-6 15, Chase Bartlett 1 3-4 5, Boone Bain 1 0-0 2, Tate Goodman 2 2-2 6, Malichai Williams 1 2-3 4. TOTALS 14 14-24 43.

MHS 8 7 8 11 — 34

SE POLK 9 12 6 16 — 43

3-Point Goals–MHS 4 (Thomas 2, Shomo 2), SEP 1 (Caggiano). Total Fouls–MHS 22, SEP 12. Fouled Out–none. Technical Foul–Van Buren.