Article and Photos by T Ray Henry
On Friday, December 19th, the Marshall High School boys basketball team traveled on the road to Lawrenceville High School to take on the IHSA Class 1A Number 3-ranked and undefeated Indians in a Little Illini Conference doubleheader. Marshall came into the contest with a record of 2-3, while Lawrenceville came in with a record of 9-0.
With the Lions still searching for a third and fourth scorer to compliment seniors Payton McGuire and Garrett Pugh, Lawrenceville has no such dilemma with a total of 10 experienced seniors on their varsity roster. As bad as Lawrenceville’s football program has been with one win in their past 20 games stretching back to 2023, the Indians basketball program has had success during the past three years, and they’re primed for a deep state tournament run this season in their first year in Class 1A. During the previous three seasons, Lawrenceville has averaged 25 victories, winning two regional titles during that span in Class 2A. Now that the Indians have been dropped down to 1A, anything less than a trip to the Final Four will be a bitter disappointment for the frontrunners of the LIC.
From the onset of the varsity game, Lawrenceville scored in spurts as Marshall struggled from behind the three-point line, shooting 3-15 (20%) as a team from three-point land. Bryce Griguhn got the Lions on the scoreboard after Lawrenceville jumped out to a 4-0 lead when he hit two free throws. The Indians tacked on five straight to lead 9-2 with 4 ½ minutes to go in the quarter before Marshall’s Payton McGuire hit a shot from the left elbow to trim Lawrenceville’s lead to 5 with the score 9-4.
After the Lions got a stop on Lawrenceville’s next possession, Payton McGuire popped in a three-pointer from the right wing to make the score 9-7. Marshall fell behind by 6 before McGuire hit another three, this time from the left baseline, to bring the Lions within 3 with the score 13-10 with 2:30 to go in the opening quarter. Down the stretch, Lawrenceville outscored Marshall 7-4 to take a 20-14 lead after one. Payton McGuire sank a free throw, and Garrett Pugh scored on a strong move inside and a free throw to account for Marshall’s points.
In the second quarter, the Lions decided to get the ball inside to Garrett Pugh, who scored five baskets in a variety of ways as he was double, triple, and quadruple teamed inside the lane. The Indians defense collapsed every time Pugh got the ball, but collectively they could not stop him from scoring. At the half, though, Lawrenceville extended their lead to 10 to lead 34-24. Pugh’s 10 points for Marshall in the second quarter were the Lions only points. At the half, Pugh had 12 points, while Payton McGuire had 9 and Bryce Griguhn had 2.
In the third quarter, Lawrenceville scored the first six points of the half to stretch their lead up to 16 before Bryce Griguhn scored for Marshall to get it to 40-26. The Indians then responded with a score to go back up by 16 with the score 42-26. Over the next 5 minutes of play, however, Marshall played very well as the Lions began chipping away at Lawrenceville’s lead. Buckets by Garrett Pugh, Zach Jones, and Pugh again brought the Lions to within 10 points with the score 42-32. With 1:05 to go in the third, Payton McGuire dribble drove in from the left wing and scored as he was fouled. McGuire sank the free throw for the traditional three-point play, and suddenly, Marshall was within 7 with the score 42-35 as Lawrenceville started to unravel. The Lions got another stop and had a chance to trim the deficit to 5 or 4 with a basket near the end of the third, but the shot didn’t fall and Lawrenceville scored at the buzzer to take a 9-point lead to the final quarter with the score 44-35.
The Lions went cold in the beginning of the fourth as Lawrenceville stretched their lead back out to 17 before Payton McGuire was fouled by Lawrenceville’s Zander Cessna, who went after the referee to argue the call. Cessna was quickly given a technical foul. McGuire subsequently sank all four free throws, then on the ensuing possession for Marshall, Tucker Osborn swished a three-pointer from up top on the right side to get Marshall back down by 10 with 4 minutes to go, making the score 52-42. Unfortunately for the Lions, they could only generate two more points the rest of the way as Lawrenceville went on to win the game by the score of 58-44.
Garrett Pugh led the Lions with another double-double as he scored 17 points and pulled down 10 rebounds as he almost convinced a couple Lawrenceville players to consider another sport to play. Payton McGuire finished with 16 points, a rebound, and 2 assists. Bryce Griguhn had 5 points, while Zach Jones and Tucker Osborn each had 3 points.
In the junior varsity game, Marshall played its best game of the season thus far as the Lions took an undefeated Lawrenceville JV squad down to the wire before falling by the score of 32-29. Ethan Sumner led Marshall with 7 points. Zach Jones and Brady Landrus each finished with 6 points, while Cage Stuckey finished with 5. Reed Ramey finished the game with 3 points, and Tommy Sheehy had 2.
Marshall (2-4) returns to action Monday night when the Lions travel to Paris to take on the Tigers in an LIC Conference tilt. The junior varsity game is scheduled to begin at 6:00 PM, followed by the varsity contest.
Payton McGuire
MHS Cheer Team