Marion boys basketball team completes historic season
MARION, Ill. — The 2024-25 boys basketball season was certainly a historic season at Marion High School. The Wildcat boys did something in the past season that no boys program had done in 37 years.
Marion finished 6-2 in the South Seven Conference, clinching a share of the conference title. It was a feat that had not been accomplished since the 1987-88 season.
Chemistry, maturity, coachability, ownership, experience, accepting the team role. Those were the words used by Marion head coach Gus Gillespie in describing this year’s team.
“These team characteristics gave us the opportunity find success,” Gillespie said.
The Wildcats played a rugged schedule, including playing in tournaments across the state that featured state-ranked competition. Marion’s six losses came to five different teams, all five of which were ranked in statewide polls at some time during the course of the season. The Wildcats also beat state ranked teams, including wins on back-to-back nights over Breese Central and Waterloo to claim the championship at the Nashville Invitational Tournament. Marion also avenged earlier season losses against Centralia and Mt. Vernon on the way to its share of the conference title. Only one loss was by more than six points, and the Wildcats’ first five losses were by a combined total of 17 points.
Gillespie pointed out that senior leadership and chemistry were among keys to the success of the team. Marion featured six seniors — Reese Anthony, Kyan Cole, Race Hickey, Kaden Rogowski, Ethan Simmons and Jared Stacy. While all six couldn’t start, each of the six understood his role on the team and was a key contributor.
Along with the team honors, several of the players were recognized as well. Rogowski was named the South Seven Conference Most Valuable Player. Simmons and Cole also earned all-conference honors. Rogowski, Cole, Simmons and Hickey all recently played in the Lions Club All-Star game, where Rogowski was named MVP. Rogowski and Simmons also earned all-south and all-state honors.
Three players (Cole, Rogowski and Simmons) scored 30 or more points in a game. Three players (Hickey, Rogowski and Simmons) each had at least one double double — 10 or more points and 10 or more rebounds in the same game. Six different players led the team in scoring in a game while seven different players were the top rebounder in a game. And perhaps one of the most intriguing stats came from Cole, who led the team by drawing 14 charging fouls
The Seniors weren’t the only significant contributors on a deep and talented roster. Juniors Benji Bates, Callahan Roper and Junious Thomas and sophomores Cam Curry, Blake Blue and Dadrian Wesley helped make practice sometimes more challenging than game day.
“Practice habits gave us the conditioning and the competition to improve every day,” said Gillespie. “This gave us the chance to have a special season.”
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