There was nothing unexpected about Marian’s boys basketball performance on Monday.

It did what it needed, at its own pace, and to its own liking.

A youthful Weatherly team was no match for the Colts. That was evident from start to finish in Marian’s 77-25 thumping in a Schuylkill League Division 3 game.

Marian (2-3, 2-0) ran up and down the floor offensively, while clamping down on the Wreckers with its half-court defense and forcing the Wreckers (0-5, 0-3) into numerous mistakes,

The Colts got a superb outing from Frank Valente, who dropped a game-high 24 points all from the field, including four triples. Contributing 10 points each were James Rodino, Joe Walko and Chris Chambers.

“I felt really good out there; we had a good rhythm,” Valente said.

“We sure didn’t take anyone for granted,” the Colts’ Julius Currie would said. “We wanted to play hard and set the tempo early.”

That they did, as Marian sizzled with a 26-4 run to open the contest. It had plenty of blow-byes with Valente racing up and down the floor, and Currie picking off a rebound for a bucket that spawned a 14-2 run in the first three minutes of the game.

“It’s all about the team,” Marian first-year coach Scott Murphy said. “We got off to that good start, and hey, that’s a team that is going to take some lumps early in the season, but they have some players. All I can say is watch them down the road.”

Marian’s muscle had Rodino, Walko and Bruce Hopeck lead the way as part of a 41-13 rebound advantage.

After Currie’s triple, Weatherly tried to come up with answers. It did get back-to-back buckets by freshmen Nico Saldukas and Ian McLaurin to make it 14-4, but the avalanche then ensued as Valente was a terror, dropping in seven straight points, while Chambers did his thing with a pair of fast-break buckets

“It’s been a while since we played after getting off to a 1-3 start,” Murphy said. “We lost to some pretty good teams, but we wanted to get back on the court. We missed some time due to the flu and inclement weather. We’ve been chomping at the bit.”

That was evident as the Colts gushed to 42-13 lead after the first two quarters as Marian was shuffling players in and out like a hockey team on line changes.

When the second half commenced, the Colts unleashed a 22-point quarter led by Valente, Chambers and Currie.

Weatherly had an early answer from Ian McKeegan and Saldukas to open the half, but it was never enough to halt the Colts, who put together a 20-0 run to end the third quarter.

“We wanted to come out early and pressure them,” Murphy said, “We never take anyone lightly; like I said, they have some young guys, and look out for them in a couple of years. They’re scrappy and they play hard.”

For Marian, it must find a way to build some momentum, especially when league play heats up in the next few weeks.

When it was brought to light to Murphy that it was the 100th-win over Weatherly for the Colts’ program - the most Marian has had over any school - he praised the past.

“That’s a credit to the Marian culture, the tradition, the coaches before me, the teams before this one,” he said.

SWEEP … Marian had the broom out, taking the opener, 52-32. Bruce Hopack led the Colts with 23. He was followed by three other teammates with eight points apiece - Jake Tom, Dylan Rodino and Bryan Ferrara. The Wreckers got a huge night from the hand of Alex Ortiz with 12 and Corbin Wagner with 10.

HO, HO, HO … There was lots of holiday spirit in the student body section for Marian.

WEATHERLY

McLaurin 2-2-2-6, Eroh 2-0-0-4, Saldukas 2-0-0-4, Hoffman 1-1-2-3, McKeegan 1-0-0-2, Wagner 0-2-5-2. Puzzetti 1-0-2-2, Buck 1-0-0-2, Higgens 0-0-0-0. TOTALS: 10-5-11-25,

MARIAN

Valente 10-0-0-24, Ja. Rodino 5-0-0-10, Walko 5-0-1-10, Chambers 5-0-0-10, Currie 3-0-0-8, Bobish 1-0-0-3, Hopeck 1-0-0-3, Vizcano 1-0-0-2, Thomas 1-0-0-2, Ferrara 0-1-2-1, Je Rodino 0-0-0-0. TOTALS: 33-3-7-77.

Weatherly 4 9 4 8 – 25

Marian 26 16 22 13 – 77

Three-pointers: Marian -Currie 2, Bobish 1, Hopeck 1.