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  • Tribune-Star/Jim Avelis Coach: Kathy Miller watches over her Marshall High School girls basketball team during practice Monday afternoon.

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  • Tribune-Star/Jim Avelis Hear me roar: The starters for the Marshall High School girls basketball team are Kaydie Grooms (left), Alexis Thompson, Erika Kuhn, Ariana Kuhn and Emily Bishop.

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February 8, 2012

They’re the pride of Marshall

Lions have learned how to think big

Craig Pearson The Tribune-Star

MARSHALL, Ill. — With a 24-1 record, coach Kathy Miller’s Marshall team earned the top seed in the Class 2A Teutopolis Regional.

The Lions, who have outscored opponents by an average of 32 points per game this season, went for a 20th straight victory Tuesday night to open the postseason against Vandalia, and No. 2 seed Tuetopolis figures to be a stiff challenge as Marshall tries for its first regional title in girls basketballsince 1989-90.

After a solid season in 2010-11, Marshall has taken its game up a notch this season behind a well-balanced, versatile starting five.

With an average of three swipes a game, sophomore Kaydie Grooms leads a group of three Marshall players including Alexis Thompson and Erika Kuhn with an average of at least 2.4 steals per game. The Lions are holding opponents to 27.4 points.

“We’re really good at getting the ball and fast breaking,” Thompson said.

Senior Erika Kuhn and 5-foot-111⁄2 junior guard Ariana Kuhn are joined by sophomore Kaydie Grooms on the perimeter. Grooms leads the Lions at 16.1 points while shooting 59.6 percent from the field.

Ariana Kuhn (10.3 ppg) provides strong outside shooting but that doesn’t mean bombing from 3-point territory. Erika Kuhn scores 9.3 points, Alexis Thompson 8.8 and senior forward Emily Bishop 6.7.

Thompson and Ariana Kuhn are the top rebounders, but it’s a balanced effort in that area as well. Thompson’s toughness down low has been key for the Lions. 

“Alexis came in as a transfer last year. She gives us some physicalness in the post. She’s made our team more aggressive,” Miller said.

Thompson’s certainly enjoying herself this season. 

“I definitely have fun whenever I win, and I really like my teammates,” Thompson said.

The addition of Grooms to the starting lineup has added aggressiveness at that end. Grooms has shot a team-high 150 free throws, making 109 for 72.7 percent. 

“Kaydie is more of a slasher, drives to the basket, and she gets in there and gets rebounds,” Miller said. “She's improved her game quite a bit.”

Grooms earned a small varsity role late in her freshman year, but she credits a hard-working summer to her improved performance.

“I played on two different AAU teams so I worked my butt off this summer,” Grooms said. “There were a lot of seniors last year, I had to wait my turn. I love this team. We all get along really well.”

The balanced scoring makes Marshall tough to defend, Miller said.

“They’re all very unselfish. Any one of those is capable of scoring double figures,” Miller said.

Ultimately, teamwork is the key to the Lions’ success.

“We all play as a team. We don’t really care who’s scoring or passing,” said Ariana Kuhn. “We’re all pretty equal. We can help each other out on defense and get steals or block shots.”

Forward Emily Bishop is a perfect complement to her teammates. 

“Everybody can shoot, everybody can score. I always look for the open person, and work hard on defense, trying to get steals and rebounds,” Bishop said.

Bishop sees that state finals is the way to set the team’s goals.

“I think it's realistic. If we play our best, I think we can beat anybody and make it to state,” Bishop said.

The team takes an “everybody loves everybody” approach, Thompson said. 

Erika Kuhn is ready to see how it plays out as the Lions have continued to improve throughout the season.

“I really do [think they’ve improved],” Erika Kuhn said. “I’m more confident in my teammates and everyone has ability to get open and hit shots. We work well, communicate well, that’s the key to our defense.”

Mount Carmel sophomore phenom Tyra Buss, a guard who has already surpassed 2,000 career points, has helped deliver the Lions their only loss. If Marshall is fortunate enough to win its regional, Buss and Mount Carmel would likely be waiting. 

“I just want to see how far we’ll go. I’m hoping we’ll go to state,” Thompson said. “We’ll have to go through Mount Carmel.”

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SPT052612NvBB decker.jpg

Tribune-Star/Jim Avelis Winner: Northview pitcher T.J. Decker rejoices as his team records the last out in their semi-final win. The Knights defeated Terre Haute North in the first game Monday at Plainfield.

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SPT052612NvBB decker.jpg

Tribune-Star/Jim Avelis Winner: Northview pitcher T.J. Decker rejoices as his team records the last out in their semi-final win. The Knights defeated Terre Haute North in the first game Monday at Plainfield.

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