IHSA Class 2A state finals preview

The IHSA Class 2A state finals field is set and Marshall is back to defend its title. The Commandos are making their 28th trip to the state finals - all under legendary coach Dorothy Gaters.  Teutopolis also returns for a second-straight year and the 18th time in program history, having won five times. The last was in 1995. Hillsboro's only trip was in 2006, when it won the Class A state championship. St. Joe-Ogden's only trip was in 2007. <h2><strong>Schedule and Information</strong></h2> At Redbird Arena, Normal Ill. <em>Friday's semifinals</em> Marshall vs. Hillsboro, 5:30 p.m. St. Joe-Ogden vs. Teutopolis, 7:15 p.m. <em>Championship Saturday</em> Third-place game, 5:30 p.m. 3-point shootout Championship game, (approximately) 7:15 p.m. Tickets: $10 general admission TV: <a href="https://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/content/ihsa">NBC Sports Chicago</a> Stream: <a href="https://www.nfhsnetwork.com/tournament/illinois-winter-championships/girls-basketball-il">NFHS Newtwork</a> Broadcast team: Dave Bernhard (Play-by-play), Rachel Galligan (Analyst), Joe Brand (Sideline reporter) <h2><strong>Teams</strong></h2> <strong>Chicago Marshall Commandos (25-8)</strong> <em>Projected starters</em> <strong>14 Brandi Hudson (2019, F, 5-9) </strong>- 17.8 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 2.1 apg, shooting 47.5/0-0/71.6 <strong>20 Dashiera Butts (2019, G, 5-7)</strong> - 10.1 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 1.8 apg, shooting 51.4/0-0/67.9 <strong>21 Dajanae James (2020, F, 5-9) </strong>- 5.9 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 2.6 apg, shooting 44.2/0-0/65.5<strong> 22 Jayonna Smith (2021, F, 5-7) </strong>- 3.9 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 0.2 apg, shooting 41.4/0-0/52.4<strong> 23 Niyah Zamudio (2021, G, 5-7) </strong>- *Started in last year's title game but joined the team in January this year. Dorothy Gaters in her 44th season and is a remarkable 1,131-206 (.846 percent). Earlier this week <a href="https://www.lincolncourier.com/sports/20190220/marshall-matriarch-dorothy-gaters-not-slowing-down">she admitted</a> this team isn't as talented as many of her state championship teams, but each kid has a role and embraces it. <strong>Roquesha Sims (2020)</strong> started in last year's state championship game and is one of the first off the bench as a top on-ball defender. <strong>Jalyn Jimenez (2020)</strong> provides a scoring spark off the bench. <span style="text-decoration: underline">Key to watch:</span> Marshall's ability to create turnovers defensively and run in transition could determine its fate. The Commandos don't take many 3-pointers and when they do, it's Jimenez, <strong>Niyah Zamudio (2021)</strong> and <strong>Ashante Kizer (2020)</strong> doing so. <strong>Hillsboro Hiltoppers (29-5)</strong> <em>Projected starters</em> <strong>4 Jade Scroggins (2019, G, 5-6)</strong> - 7.1 ppg, 1.8 rpg, 3 apg, shooting 40.0/29.6/68.6 <strong>14 Kylie Meier (2019, G, 5-9)</strong><strong> </strong>- 8 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 1.7 apg, shooting 39.7/38.3/62.5 <strong>24 Sammi Matoush (2019, G, 5-11)</strong> - 25.5 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 2.4 apg, shooting 47.7/35.4/84.5 <strong>34 Aubrey Rupert (2019, F, 5-8)</strong> - 8.6 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 1.9 apg, shooting 36.3/31.0/56.0 <strong>44 Claire Tester (2021, C, 5-7)</strong> - 2.9 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 0.8 apg, shooting 39.3/0-0/32.3 Bret Tuetken is 344-198 in his 18th year at Hillsboro and coached the 2006 Class A state championship team. <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/2018/09/player-profile-sammi-matoush/"><strong>Sammi Matoush (2019)</strong></a> sits at 2,836 career points, which is 12th in Illinois girls basketball history. The two-time (soon to be three) All-State guard can move to 11th if she scored 50 in her final two games. <span style="text-decoration: underline">Key to watch:</span> Matoush is going to be defended heavily all game the question isn't who will step up and score as much as it is who can handle the ball when she has to give it up. <strong>Jade Scroggins (2019)</strong> and <strong>Kylie Meier (2019)</strong> will be relied upon. <strong>St. Joe-Ogden Spartans (28-4)</strong> <em>Projected starters</em> <strong>2 Maclayne Taylor (2019, G,</strong> <strong>5-8)</strong> - 7.7 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 4.7 apg, shooting 43.8/30.4/79.4 <strong>3 Hannah Dukeman (2020, G, 5-7) </strong>- 8.3 ppg, 3 rpg, 3.7 apg, shooting 57.9/40.4/62.9 <strong>22 Payton Valle (2021, F, 5-9) </strong>- 2.2 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 1.1 apg, shooting 57.7/0-0/36.8 <strong>23 Peyton Crow (2019, G, 5-8)</strong> - 11.9 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 1.7 apg, shooting 48.8/28.2/84.3 <strong>24 Bree Trimble (2019, F, 5-8)</strong> - 16.9 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 1.3 apg, shooting 54.1/36.0/70.3 Kevin Taylor is 49-13 in his second season as Spartans coach. The Spartans do a good job of sharing the basketball, averaging 15.4 assists per game as a team and it starts with <strong>Maclayne Taylor (2019)</strong> and <strong>Hannah Dukeman (2020)</strong>, who averaged 8.4 combined assists per game. <span style="text-decoration: underline">Key to watch:</span>  St. Joe-Ogden does a good job of balancing its scoring out, but the Spartans don't get a lot of bench support. They will need somebody to step up and knock down shots off the bench. <strong>Teutopolis Lady Shoes</strong> <strong>(32-4)</strong> <em>Projected starters</em> <strong>1 Morgan Mette (2019, G, 5-8)</strong> - 7.4 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 3.6 apg, shooting 40.6/2-10/76.5 <strong>2 Savannah Grimes (2019, G, 5-6)</strong> - 2.9 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 2.2 apg, shooting 29.3/0-1/66.0 <strong>10 Sadie Bueker (2019, G, 5-9)</strong> - 5.9 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 2.3 apg, shooting 46.3/39.3/85.4 <strong>11 Lexi Niebrugge (2021, G, 5-8)</strong> - 12 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 1.5 apg, shooting 47.4/49.3/77.2 <strong>45 Claire Bushur (2020, F, 5-10)</strong> - 9 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 0.5 apg, shooting 60.1/0-0/64.1 Laurie Thompson is 356-91 in her 14th season at Teutopolis. Since taking over, the Lady Shoes have made four state finals appearances but haven't won the championship and have finished second once. They pushed Marshall to the brink in a 46-43 state semifinal loss last year. <span style="text-decoration: underline">Key to watch:</span> <strong>Morgan Mette (2019)</strong> and <strong>Saide Bueker (2019)</strong> started in last year's state finals while <strong>Claire Busher (2020)</strong> and <strong>Olivia Niemerg (2020)</strong> both played significant minutes. Already having that experience is key and so will be whoever steps up. <h2><strong>Predictions</strong></h2> <strong>Marshall vs. Hillsboro</strong> Games like this - a star (Hillsboro's Sammi Matoush) against a team - are always fascinating because it is hard to predict. Matoush is going to be a factor but will she get any help from her teammates to help free her up? The Commandos are fast and aggressive defensively. Dashiera Butts had eight points and eight rebounds in the championship game last year and her play will push the rest of the Commando's offense. <em>Prediction:</em> Marshall 52, Hillsboro 45 <strong>St. Joe-Ogden vs. Teutopolis</strong> Both teams match up well together on paper. They both share the basketball have good size on the perimeter and in the post. Claire Bushur can make a big difference in dictating whether the Lady Shoes win or not. She's taller than every SJ-O player and can control the paint. Bree Trimble will be active for the Spartans, even if she's taken away as a scorer she will have to rebound and defend at a high level. Ball movement will be a big piece of SJ-O's success in avenging a 72-39 loss to the Lady Shoes on Dec. 6. <em>Prediction:</em> Teutopolis 47, St. Joe-Ogden 39