Metamora knocks off Marmion
As the Marmion huddle broke for one final time, a fan-made sign flashed directly across the Cadets' bench.
"The job is not finished" it read.
Metamora, ultimately, was the team to ensure a second consecutive trip to the state semifinals following their 60-48 victory in the Class 3A Ottawa supersectional on Monday.
Marmion, who hadn't won a sectional final since 1976 until Friday, could leave knowing the building blocks to finish the job - an eventual state title of its own - were in place.
"We talked in the locker room, we talked that we didn't get to our ultimate goal - which everybody's ultimate goal is to make a state championship - but this team did something that probably no other high school could say," Marmion coach Joe Piekarz said. "That is: Completely [flipping] a culture of basketball."
From 2016 through 2021, Marmion won a combined 31 games. In two years under Piekarz - along with the growth of their nucleus led by Collin Wainscott, Jabe Haith and Trevon Roots - the Cadets have won 38.
The Cadets' season included a second-place finish at the Plano Christmas tournament and ultimately finishing with a 23-12 record and regional and sectional plaques.
Marmion hadn't won 20 games in a season in 47 years. Until now.
"Coming into this, there was zero [outside] expectations ever for Marmion basketball," Piekarz continued. "Not only did they flip it, they flipped it in a hurry, and they turned into now where we're playing in the Elite Eight, and competing with the No. 1 team in the state to go downstate. It stings now. It hurts now. But, they're going to look back and they're going to realize they did something much more than most teams can ever say they've done for their school."
Metamora (31-2) entered Monday on a 30-game winning streak. Marmion shook off a first-quarter 12-point deficit to make it a five-point game at halftime. Wainscott's 3-pointer with 4:33 left in the third quarter tied it at 30 and the Cadets trailed 37-34 entering the final eight minutes of regulation.
Haith opened the final frame with a steal and layup, but it was countered by Tyson Swanson's 3-pointer. Cadets guard Jacob Piceno responded with a tough jumper to pull within 40-38 with 6:55 left, but the Redbirds ripped off a quick 6-0 run and later ballooned their lead to 10 with 1:45 left to keep the Cadets ultimately out of reach of potential glory in Champaign.
Swanson finished with 19 points, seven rebounds and three assists. Drew Tucker had 12 points, Tyler Mason had 11 points and Ethan Kizer had 10 points for the Redbirds.
"To see us go back-to-back down to Champaign is pretty special," Redbirds coach Danny Grieves said. "Last year, it was the first time in what, 90 years? So, you take a look at this squad: They've got 62 wins in two years. That's pretty good. We've got a 30 [game] win streak. What I love about those guys is they just keep persevering through any kind of adversity. That's been the key."