Marshall wins the 1A state title after a late comeback against Goreville

CHAMPAIGN — Marshall faced a ten-point deficit with seven minutes left in the Class 1A state championship on Saturday.

Most the West Side's traditional basketball powers have struggled with low enrollment and below-average basketball teams over the past several years. It appeared the West Side had lost its swagger.

But in crunch time, in the biggest game of their lives, the Commandos found the magic again.

"I had to step up as a leader," Marshall sophomore DJ Laye said. "My teammates and I applied pressure and that is how we came back."

Laye, and All-City guard, scored 12 of his game-high 30 points in the fourth as Marshall beat Goreville 52-44 to win its third IHSA state championship.

"This state championship isn’t just for Marshall," coach Darrin Laye said. "It is for the city of Chicago. It is for the West Side of Chicago. It is a testament to what the city is. The grit and the grind."

The Commandos forced the Blackcats into 23 turnovers, many during a 15-0 fourth-quarter run that turned a 10-point Goreville lead into a five-point Marshall advantage.

"We sent an extra man and sped them up a little," Darrin Laye said. "We are clearly a second half team. We have been all season. These guys applied pressure, made steals and made it tough for them to get good shots."

DJ Laye had six steals and junior guard Rayvon Myles finished with seven.

"Those dudes turned it up a little," Goreville coach Todd Tripp said. "We like to play fast too but they are quick. We did a good job for the most part but those little mistakes got us."

Edward Humes, Myles and 6-6 senior Amari Cornell each scored six points.

"I saw my teammates eating and I knew I could turn up on defense," Myles said. "I played the passing lanes for steals and got a decent amount of assists."

Goreville, which is one of the top 15 three-point shooting teams in state history with more than 330 three-pointers this season, was 5-for-10 from three.

"Dream come true," Tripp said. "I’ve been doing this a long time. They made my dream come true, getting to coach in this game and have this ride. I owe it all to them. It has been a blessing for sure."

Zech Green led the Blackcats (34-5) with 13 points. Lawson Land and Nick King scored 10. This was Goreville's first appearance in the state finals.

Marshall won the 3A title in 2008 and also captured state championships in 1958 and 1960.

This is the first time a Public League school has won a championship in the state's smallest class. The Public League received an automatic bid to the state finals in Class AA when the tournament went to two classes in 1972, so winning Class A was impossible. The tournament expanded to four classes in 2008 and this is the first time a Public League team has played for the 1A title.