Marion High School girls basketball team completes successful season
MARION, Ill. — With a roster loaded with under class players, it was easy to look at the Marion Lady Wildcat girls basketball team and say they were a year or two away from a big season. However, 2024-25 edition of the Lady Wildcats were impatient, deciding that there was no time like the present for success.
This season’s Lady Wildcats finished second in the South Seven Conference, won 20 games for the first time since 2002, and captured their first regional title in two decades. They also became the first Marion girls basketball team to reach the Sweet 16 in school history.
Marion finished the season with a 21-9 record. They reached the championship game at the Bethalto Civic Memorial Class 3A Sectional where they lost to Mt. Vernon to end their season.
First-year head coach Erik Griffin said the team wasn’t very big in stature, but was big in heart and effort.
“The 2024-25 Lady Wildcats made up for what we lacked in height and experience with a balanced offense, end to end pressure defense, a deep bench and mental toughness,” said Griffin. “Our balance offensively made it difficult for opposing defenses to key in on one or two players.”
Griffin said that because the team lacked size, it emphasized full court and ball pressure to be effective.
“Being blessed with a deep and talented roster allowed us to always keep fresh legs in the game,” he said. “That helped us keep up the pressure defensively and push the ball in transition on offense.”
That playing style meant that the Lady Wildcats were rarely out of a game. It was displayed in a regular season game at Centralia and the sectional semifinal against the host at Civic Memorial. At Centralia, Marion fell behind 16-0, and trailed by double-digits entering the fourth quarter before rallying for an overtime win. Marion trailed Civic Memorial by 15 early in the third quarter in the sectional before winning that game as well.
“The mental toughness of our girls was never on display more than in comeback wins at Centralia in the regular season and at Civic Memorial in the sectional,” Griffin said. “Both games saw us fall behind the host team by double digits and find a way to not only come back, but come out victorious.”
So with only one senior on the roster, Griffin expects big things for next season as well.
“As a coach, it’s always a good thing when your players are looking forward to a new season,” Griffin said. “We usually expect this when school starts. Our returning players are already looking forward to next season and building on the success they experienced this year.”
Two of this year’s players have earned state-wide honors. Juniors Khamari Jackson and Libbie Garrett were both selected by the Illinois Basketball Coach’s Association as special mention selections on the all-state basketball team.
2024-25 Marion High School Varsity Roster — SENIOR: Shakirah Humphrey. JUNIORS: ShaNiyah Washam, Brynne Smith, Addi Lenon, Paislee Freebourn, Khamari Jackson, Madison Lees, Libbie Garrett. SOPHOMORES: Abbie Dalton, Alli Christopher, Audrey Rogowski, Lydia Rogowski, Ny’Aajha Curry. FRESHMEN: Jakiya Peterman, Addison Francis, Carleigh Midgett.
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