The Marian boys basketball team is in beat-the-clock mode. With time quickly fading on their season, the Colts have little margin for error.

Needing three wins in its final four games, Marian slowed down the ticking clock to elimination on Friday night with a 75-41 Schuylkill League victory over Shenandoah.

The Colts are now 9-10 on the campaign as they look to qualify for the District 11 Class 2A playoffs.

“We’re not looking that far down the road,” said Marian coach John Patton about his team still needing two victories. “We have to play Tri-Valley tomorrow (Saturday) that’s as far ahead as we’re looking. One game at a time.”

Surely there were no worries last night after a near perfect third-quarter of play in which the Colts shot moonbeams through the rafters with a 30-point explosion to bust open an otherwise interesting game.

Shenandoah Valley got off to a horrid start and trailed the host 15-2, before an impressive 18-point second quarter got them back in it.

But the Colts turned to their all-state junior leader Tyler Fritz and athletic Dante Agosti to do some impressive damage in the third quarter.

Fritz drilled in 16 of his game-high 31 points in the frame, including four treys. Agosti, who had five triples and 19 points, was in the thick of the outburst too.

“You know I expected us to be flat in the first quarter, but it was just the opposite,” said Patton about the jettison takeoff to open the game. “With all the snow (and lack of practice) and everything I didn’t expect to have such a good start.

“But we exceeded that in the third quarter ... that was something else.”

Fritz went bah-boom, bah-boom and Agosti flourished as well in a 16-3 flurry that doomed the Devils.

“They just caught fire, and we didn’t have an answer,” said Shenandoah coach Robbie Miller. “Fritz is phenomenal and when he gets the open looks he’s even more impressive.”

Patton also sang the praises of Brandon Sabulsky, Keith McCall and John Malarkey.

“They all did a great job of getting (Fritz) open looks,” said Patton. “This was a nice win for us. We have to continue to take care of business.”

One down. Two to go.

Time is still ticking on the Colts, but it’s beginning to slow down.

SHOOTING STARS … Marian flung up 67 shots — 26 more than the Devils. The Colts were 10-for-34 in the first two periods, then exploded with a 12-for-17 effort in the third and finished 28-for-67. The visitors were a paltry 14-for-41. Evan Kosar’s 17 points were high for Shenandoah.

LEADERS … Marian had a season-high 55 rebounds, and Fritz collared 13 for a double-double. Malarkey yanked down 12 rebounds, McCall just missed doubles with nine. Shenandoah Valley was led by freshman Luke Matta who snagged eight of his team’s 26 rebounds.

DOUBLE DIP … Colts won the JV game 57-45 behind 20 points from Zach Hnat. Chris Latoff added 14 and Julian Cerullo had 10.

SHENANDOAH VALLEY

E. Kosar 6-2-3-17, Karvois 2-2-2-7, L. Rivera 2-0-2-4, M. Rivera 1-0-0-3, Chinchay 1-0-0-3, Gilsant 1-0-0-3, Matta 1-0-0-2, O. Kosar 0-2-4-2, Dombrosky 0-0-2-0, Vasquez 0-0-0-0, Boris 0-0-0-0, Vevasis 0-0-0-0, Mikita 0-0-0-0. TOTALS: 14-6-12-41.

MARIAN

T. Fritz 11-3-4-31, Agosti 6-2-2-19, Sabulsky 3-0-0-6, L. Fritz 1-0-0-3, Ritsick 1-0-0-3, Goff 1-1-2-3, McCall 1-0-0-2, Hnat 1-0-0-2, Latoff 1-0-0-2, Rickert 1-0-0-2, Malarkey 1-0-0-2, Cerullo 0-0-0-0, Cervasio 0-0-0-0. TOTALS: 28-6-8-75.

Shenandoah 2 18 10 4 - 41

Marian 15 15 30 15 - 75

Three-pointers: SV - E. Kosar 3, M. Rivera 1, Karvois 1, Chinchay 1, Gilsant 1; Marian - T. Fritz 6, Agosti 5, L. Fritz 1, Ritsick 1.