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

Entering 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 second quarter was the killer for Marian. The Spartans trailed 17-15 early in the period, but that’s when the Whitney Young got it going with pressure defense and fast breaks. Dolphins senior guard Kiana Johnson threw a football pass three-quarters of the court to junior guard Janee Thompson to make the score 25-17. Later, Whitney Young senior guard Chanise Jenkins converted an and-1 on a fast-break lay-up off a Marian turnover, and the Dolphins led 34-19.

All in all, the Dolphins outscored Marian 24-10 in the second quarter and led 37-21 at halftime.

Marian fought back at the end of the third quarter and at the beginning of the fourth quarter, but it was too big of a hill to climb. Whitney Young advanced with a 74-52 victory.

“Very, very frustrating,” Marian Catholic junior guard Alanna Ferry said of losing to Whitney Young for the third year in a row. “We thought for sure this was our year.”

Reflecting On a Great Year: Despite the loss, the Spartans can hold their heads high for all of their accomplishments this season. They finished 30-5, won the East Suburban Catholic Conference outright (the first time since 1994 that Fenwick wasn’t at least co-champion) and made it to the supersectional.

“We played so hard throughout the whole season,” Marian senior guard Jasmine Matthews said. “We kind of had our ups and downs, but we played big in the big games.”

Law said the team really bonded this season.

“I’m going to miss (my teammates) so much,” she said. “This was a great team to play with.”

With Law, Matthews and other notable seniors—including point guard Jamie Johnson—graduating, there will be lots of gaps to fill.

“It’s going to be a big change,” Ferry said. “We all know that we have to step up and fill in their roles, so it’ll be a good challenge for us.”