MOUNDSVILLE – Turnovers are the downfall of basketball teams – even a good team.

That was such the case Tuesday afternoon for John Marshall in a 62-47 loss to visiting Morgantown in the John Marshall Girls Holiday Shootout inside the John Marshall Field House. The Mohigans (5-2) entered the fray ranked No. in the latest W.Va. Class AAAA poll, while the Monarchs were No. 4 in Class AAA.

After playing a very good first eight minutes when it led 18-11, John Marshall (6-3) went ice-cold in the second quarter, allowing Morgantown to claw its way into the lead. The Monarchs misfired on their first nine shots of the quarter while committing eight turnovers before they scored as the Mohigans built a 30-21 halftime advantage they never relinquished.

“Turnovers … that’s it. They have been the story before the game, during the game and after the game,” John Marshall head coach Brock Melko said. “We’ve just got to take better care of the basketball.

“In all of our losses this season that’s pretty much been the theme,” Melko added. “I think our defense is pretty good, but it’s kind of weird to say that after giving up 62 points, but it felt like all of their points came from taking the ball off of us. That’s the key. We’ve got to be stronger with the ball and we knew that coming in, but we just didn’t do that.”

West Virginia Wesleyan signee Rilee Storm got the Monarchs off to a flying start with 14 of her team’s 18 points, but the senior was held to one during that decisive second quarter. She did, however, finish with a game-best 29 points which included a 13-of-15 effort from the free throw stripe.

Classmate Kaylee White added 14 points, but only two other players – both with 2 – found the scorebook.

“A couple of girls had some rough offensive performances today, but we know we can win through Rilee and Kaylee,” Melko said. “That’s okay. We’ve just got to play better defense and take care of the ball. That’s the story.”

Carper Messerly led four Morgantown players in double digits with 18 points. Brenna Nelson and Maddie Ancell evenly split 24, while Sydney Deusenberry added 11.

Morgantown also led off the glass 26-22 as Deusenberry and Alicia Tingler each grabbed six. Messerly secured five. Storm completed her double-double with 11 boards and also charted five steals.

John Marshall finished with 18 turnovers, three more than Morgantown.