NORMAL — Stephen Brown’s competitive basketball career is winding down, but it’s not because he can’t be a game-changer on the court.
The tall, rangy senior made one of the biggest plays of the season for Marist, leading to the most significant win in program history on March 9 in the Class 4A Illinois State Supersectional at CEFCU Arena.
Brown jumped the passing lane, stole the ball and raced downcourt to throw down a thunderous dunk with 1:51 remaining. That gave the Redhawks the lead for good in a 56-53 win over Richwoods.
“Steve. he’s our best weapon,” senior Karson Thomas said of North Carolina State football recruit. “With his athleticism, I don’t think anybody can stop us in the state.”
“He’s just a monster out there,” senior Charles Barnes Jr. said. “Six-eight, athletic and the football (player) I’m seeing, like the interceptions out there. And he’s coming down and I know he’s gonna finish it.”
And Brown was going to finish it in style — not with a layup but with an exclamation point.
“I’m throwing down the dunk regardless,” he said.
He did, and now Marist (31-5) is heading downstate for the first time in program history. The RedHawks have clinched their first state trophy and will play York (32-4) at 2:30 p.m. March 13 in the 4A semifinals at State Farm Center in Champaign.
“Since my freshman year, it’s always been a goal to make it down to state,” Brown said. “I mean, I don’t think we’re done yet. We’ve still got a lot more to accomplish. We’ve got two more games to win to be state champions.”
Barnes led the RedHawks with a double-double of 14 points and 11 rebounds. Brown filled the stat sheet with 13 points, six rebounds and multiple steals and assists. TJ Tate finished with 12 points on 6-for-6 shooting.
Marist led the fast-paced game 35-30 at halftime, but Richwoods (26-8) opened the third quarter with a 7-0 run to go ahead. The Knights were up 53-49 with under three minutes left, but didn’t score the rest of the way. Tate’s steal and fast-break basket tied it at 53 with 2:54 remaining,
Then Brown made the play that turned the game around.
“So we were down two at the time and I felt like … I wasn’t playing to my hardest,” he said. “I saw (a Richwoods player) throw a lob pass and … I know I was fast enough to go get it. So I just kind of went out there, reached my arm out and … tipped it in the air to myself. And (it was) just me and the rim.”
Richwoods missed multiple shots in the closing minutes and Vassilakis made one of two free throws with 25.5 seconds for the final margin.
Marist coach Brian Hynes found it fitting that Brown made the game-changing play.
“I couldn’t be happier for him,” Hynes said. “The pressure he’s dealt with for four years and the talk, ‘What’s he going to play?’ And did he rise to what he’s supposed to be in basketball. … He played 32 minutes against a big kid (6-6 Davion McClendon).
“We were struggling (with) rebounding. We couldn’t take him out. So there’s a special thing there.”
It’s cool to see Marist making it downstate. What do you think changed for them this season?