Previewing the Class 1A/2A IHSA basketball state finals

Marshall and Farragut are giants of Chicago basketball and well-known around the state. Both teams have proud histories in the city and state tournament and have produced NBA players.

Things are different now. The schools are much smaller. Marshall has 197 students and plays in Class 1A. Farragut competes in Class 2A with 423 students. Neither team appeared in the Super 25 rankings this season and they were a combined 6-8 in the Red West.

The Commandos and Admirals are not among the top teams in the area overall, but IHSA playoff competition is a different animal. Both schools made runs to the state finals in Champaign. It was expected for Marshall (22-10), but not for Farragut (13-14).

The Admirals face Quincy Notre Dame (31-1) in the Class 2A semifinals on Thursday at 4:15. They upset Crane in the supersectionals on Monday to earn the trip to state.

“We’ve been up and down a little bit this season,” Farragut coach Emmanuel Little said. “But the guys worked hard no matter what the score was.”

Senior Latrell Kelley leads the Admirals on and off the court. He’s an impressive player and student and sets the tone for the team.

The 5-11 point guard averaged 24 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals and was a fourth team All-City selection. He’s a valedictorian candidate at Farragut with a 4.5 GPA.

“I’m a no books, no ball coach,” Little said. “I don’t believe in getting ok grades and being a star athlete. But [Kelly] is a special kid. He’s a gym rat and one of the best students in the school.”

Kelley’s brother Lazavion is just a freshman, but he’s also a starter for the Admirals. Terez Terrell, 6-3 Deangelo Embry and 6-4 Delonte Cook round out the lineup.

The Admirals started the season 2-8. The only possible sign a deep playoff run was coming was a tight loss to Hyde Park and a win against a quality Phillips team in January.

Farragut is a major underdog against Quincy Notre Dame, which is led by 6-3 senior guard Jace Allensworth.

Marshall’s return to the state finals

This is Marshall’s 14th appearance in the state finals but its first as a small school.

Sophomore DJ Laye, a fourth team All-City selection, averages 18 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals for the Commandos. His dad Darrin is the team’s coach.

“We are starting to turn the corner in separating the dad and coach relationship,” Darrin Laye said. “He’s not bringing that home with him anymore.”

Marshall was competitive against high-level small school competition and several much larger schools (Rich, Thornton, Leo).

Amari Cornell, a 6-6 senior, anchors the middle for the Commandos. Junior Quinton Gibson rebounds and does the dirty work. Junior Edward Humes plays point guard and junior Rayvon Miles has a high basketball IQ and shoots well.

“85 percent of the team was somewhere else their freshman year,” Darrin Laye said. “This is more like a second chance they have at basketball. Where they were, it wasn’t working for them. They trust and believe in our vision.”

Lawrenceville (34-2), which faces Goreville (33-4) in the other semifinal, is the favorite to win 1A but the Commandos have a solid shot at at the crown.

“We have a young team and sometimes have struggles valuing every possession,” Laye said. “But we can score in bunches, especially when we are pushing the basketball.”

State Finals schedule

At State Farm Center, Champaign

Class 2A

Thursday’s semifinals

Peoria Manual vs. Tolono Unity, 2:30

Farragut vs. Quincy Notre Dame, 4:15

Third place game: 8:45

Saturday’s championship: noon

Class 1A

Thursday’s semifinals

Goreville vs. Lawrenceville, 10 a.m.

Eastland vs. Marshall, 11:45 a.m.

Third place game: 7 p.m.

Saturday’s championship: 10 a.m.