CHAMPAIGN — DJ Laye was a freshman sensation last season, bringing some attention to a Marshall program which had receded from the Chicago basketball spotlight.
Saturday in Champaign, Laye’s big fourth quarter brought the Commandos their third IHSA state championship.
The All-City guard scored 12 of his game-high 30 points in the fourth as Marshall beat Goreville 52-44.
The Commandos forced the Blackcats into 23 turnovers, many during a 15-0 fourth-quarter run that turned a 10-point Goreville lead into a five-point Marshall advantage.
Goreville dominated the second quarter with a 16-2 run and led 24-18 at halftime.
Marshall won the 3A title in 2008 and also captured state championships in 1958 and 1960
This is the first time a Public League school has won a championship in the state’s smallest class. The Public League received an automatic bid to the state finals in Class AA when the tournament went to two classes in 1972, so winning Class A was impossible. The tournament expanded to four classes in 2008 and this is the first time a Public League team has played for the 1A title.
Check back later for more, including reaction from Marshall and Goreville players and coaches…