Summer Camp: Back to Work for Marian Catholic Girls Basketball

The Spartans lost a number of standouts to graduation, but coach Annie Basic-Byrne already is implementing a three-stage plan to keep the beat going strong.

Top programs don’t rebuild they reload. That is what the Marian Catholic girls’ basketball team will be doing this upcoming season. “Depending on how well we accept that and come together will determine how quickly we can be a premier team again," Spartans coach Annie-Basic-Byrne said. Marian Catholic will look to overcome the loss of six seniors from last year’s team, including Maryssa Cladis (North Central), Jamie Johnson (Lewis), Simone Law (Loyola) and Jasmine Matthews (Bowling Green). All six will be playing in the collegiate ranks next season. The Spartans have seen their seasons end with losses the last three years in the supersectionals to Chicago power Whitney Young, including last season’s 22-point setback. Still, the Spartans …

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Local Sports Notebook

Marian Catholic Grads Set to Turn the Page

Spartan standouts look forward to continuing their athletic careers in the collegiate ranks.

As the 2010-2011 high school sports season comes to an end, the following Marian Catholic student-athletes already are beginning to look forward to competing on the collegiate level in the fall. Six different sports are represented on the Spartan list, highlighted by the softball team with eight player moving on to the collegiate ranks:  Girls Basketball: Maryssa Cladis, North Central College; Jamie Johnson, Lewis University; Simone Law, Loyola University; Jasmine Mathews, Bowling Green State University. Football: Wes Fleming, St. Ambrose University; Marc Grkinich, St. Ambrose University; Michael Toliver, St. Ambrose University;  Alyssa Wlodarczyk, St. Ambrose University. Girls Lacrosse: Hannah Conway, Adrian College; Alexis DiGiovanni, …

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Hot Shot: Marian Catholic's Simone Law Honored as Top Winter Sports Athlete

Spartans' senior racked up the awards and records during a memorable girls basketball season.

Simone Law, Marian Catholic, senior, girls basketball When Simone Law leaves Marian Catholic this coming spring, just how will she be missed? “The better question to be asked is how she won’t be missed,” Marian coach Annie Basic-Byrne said. Here’s Law's list of honors from this season: McDonald's All-American nominee, ESPN All-Area, MVP of the East Suburban Catholic Conference. Second-Team IBCA, Chicago Sun-Times All-Area, Southtown Star Player of the Year and Northwest Indiana Times Player of the Year. Now, Law can add one more award to her stack: Chicago Heights Patch pick as Top Winter Sports Athlete. * Law averaged 17.7 points, 8.9 rebounds and 1.4 blocks. She is the Marian Catholic record holder for career rebounds and single-season …

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Extra Points: Marian Catholic Burned by Whitney Young's Speed

The Dolphins used an explosive second quarter to pull away from the Spartans, who finished an excellent season Monday night.

Entering Marian Catholic’s showdown with Whitney Young in Monday night’s supersectional game at Saint Xavier University, the Spartans had seen lots of tough competition. Marian had played the likes of Fenwick, Marist and Bishop McNamara, and had even traveled all the way to Mississippi to play against competition from the South. Whitney Young, however, was another beast altogether for the Spartans to try to tame. Whitney Young’s speed, athleticism and talent make the Dolphins a tough out for anyone. Marian learned that first-hand Monday night. “Whitney Young’s a really good team,” Marian Catholic senior forward Simone Law. “Whenever we tried to stop the drive, they shot a jumper. Whenever we tried to stop the jump shot, they drove.” The …

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Girls Basketball: Marian Stopped by Young in Supersectional Yet Again

Whitney Young 74, Marian Catholic 52. For the third year in a row, the Spartans of Marian Catholic fell to Whitney Young's Dolphins in the girls basketball supersectional round.

The Hot Read: The frustration of losing to Whitney Young continues for Marian Catholic. For the third year in a row, the Dolphins took down the Spartans in the supersectional round at Saint Xavier University. After Marian battled toe-to-toe with Whitney Young in the first quarter, the Spartans suffered a second-quarter scoring drought. The Dolphins’ pressure and speed allowed Young to outscore Marian 24-10 in the decisive quarter. Marian senior guard Jasmine Matthews said it was difficult to adjust to Whitney Young because the Spartans hadn’t played a team with that kind of speed. Marian fought valiantly in the second half, even cutting the deficit to 10 points early in the fourth quarter. But Young responded and then ran out the clock for…

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Analysis: No Panic Mode for Marian vs. Marist

Three starters pick up their third foul in tight third quarter of Thursday night's L-W North Sectional title game, but Spartans don't bend or break against the RedHawks.

The second half of Thursday night’s Lincoln-Way North Sectional championship game couldn't have started any better for Marist. It took only six seconds for it to happen, and some fans probably hadn't made their way back from the restrooms or concession stand when Marian Catholic standout Simone Law was whistled for her third foul. The Loyola University-bound senior retreated to the bench, and 40 seconds later Marist's Jetaun Rouse made a pair of free throws to cut Marian's lead to 24-20. The Redhawks would later cut Marian’s lead to 27-24 on a bucket by Asiana Bey and seemingly had momentum in their favor. That was until Jasmine Matthews and Jamie Johnson ignited the Marian crowd with back-to-back three-pointers to make it a 33-24 game. …

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Girls Basketball: Marian Catholic Surges Past Marist for L-W North Sectional Title

Marian Catholic 57, Marist 42. Foul trouble plagues the Spartans, but team depth helps finish off the Redhawks.

The Hot Read: Marian Catholic standout Simone Law picked up her third foul just six seconds into the second half and didn't convert a field goal after halftime. But Marist couldn’t take full advantage in Thursday night’s Class 4A Lincoln-Way North Sectional final. Marist trailed 24-18 at halftime but couldn’t get any closer than 24-20 in the second half. Marist's Randyll Butler split a pair of free throws with 1:50 left in the third quarter to make it a 35-30 contest, but Marian closed the quarter with a 7-0 run to take an impressive 42-30 lead into the final quarter en route to a 57-42 victory. Patch's MVP: Marian Catholic's Jasmine Matthews scored 14 points, but just as important was her leadership in the third quarter when starters …

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Analysis: Sectional Title on Line as Marist, Marian Gird for Rematch

After suffering a December setback to the Spartans, the RedHawks feel like they're ready to turn the tables.

Marist and Marian Catholic are two teams that possess high-powered offenses and skilled defenses. Both have excellent forwards who can shoot from the outside and put the ball on the floor and drive to the basket. The pretense for Thursday night's girls basketball sectional championship matchup at Lincoln-Way North has all the hallmarks of a classic. Simone Law leads the way for the Spartans. At 6-0, the senior forward and D-I recruit (Loyola) will be matched in the post by Marist's 6-1 junior center Asiana Bey. The Spartans are coming off a 72-58 victory over Homewood-Flossmoor. The RedHawks defeated Lincoln-Way East 52-38. When the teams met back in December, it was the Spartans winning by a count of 67-58. The two are long-time rivals …

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Girls Basketball: H-F Fought the Law and Law's Team Won

Marian Catholic 72, Homewood-Flossmoor 58. Simone Law simply wouldn't let her team lose, scoring 22 points and collecting 16 rebounds to help the Spartans turn a third-quarter nail-biter into a runaway victory.

The Hot Read: Homewood-Flossmoor went ahead 41-37 with 5:12 remaining on three free throws from Charnelle Reed and a putback basket by Lauren Parker. Marian Catholic responded, though, with a 13-2 run to finish the third quarter and H-F  wouldn't get any closer than 50-45 at the start of the fourth quarter as the Spartans pulled away to notch a 72-58 girls basketball victory on Monday in play at the Class 4A Lincoln-Way North Sectional. Patch's MVP: Marian Catholic's Simone Law proved to be way too much for Homewood-Flossmoor to handle. The Loyola University recruit did it with her scoring and her rebounding and seemingly always came up with a big play when her team needed it most. She also made seven of her final eight free throw attempts…

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Ferry Does 'Little Things' for Marian

Alanna Ferry was everywhere in the Spartans' one-side rout of Providence Catholic in the Celtics' Class 4A Regional final.

Simone Law, Jamie Johnson and Jasmine Matthews were all in double figures for Marian Catholic on Thursday night.
But championship basketball teams invariably have indispensable role players who contribute in a variety of ways. Alanna Ferry was certainly that in New Lenox during the Spartans’ 72-41 win over Providence Catholic in the Class 4A regional final. During the Spartans’ 16-2 run to close out the first quarter and essentially send the squad to the Lincoln-Way North Sectional on Tuesday to face Homewood-Flossmoor, Ferry, a junior starting guard, triggered two steals, grabbed three rebounds and nailed a bomb from beyond the arc.  “That’s what we try to do: make defensive stops and push it on offense,” Ferry said of the Spartans’ …

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