Marist beat Fremd 59-47 on Monday.<\/b>
\nMarist was salivating at the chance to play against Fremd.
The RedHawks play in the East Suburban Catholic Conference, one of the toughest in the state. They picked up a big win over the Christmas season against Lyons, but also lost to Nazareth, Carmel and Benet.
Monday\u2019s game against Fremd provided Marist an opportunity to prove itself against one of the better teams in the state. The RedHawks met the challenge after the 59-47 win in the Coach Kipps Hoopsfest over Fremd at Benet.
\u201cWe beat them in the summer, but one of our goals for the season was to beat them,\u201d said senior guard Olivia Cosme, who scored eight points.
Marist\u2019s spread offense is very difficult to guard. Because they usually have five players that can score from the perimeter, it opens up driving lanes as the defense is preoccupied with defending the three-point line.
The RedHawks faced challenges after junior forward Lily Porter went down with an ankle injury in the second quarter, forcing everyone to take on additional responsibility. Porter didn\u2019t return in the second half but was very much present in the game. She was shouting from the sidelines, defensive instructions and positive encouragement to her teammates.
Junior guard Caroline Flynn led the way with 15 points, and junior guard Olivia Barsch and senior guard Lucy Cosme each scored 12.
\u201cI was very upset about [Porter getting injured],\u201d Cosme said. \u201cAnd then we were like, \u2018No, we have to win.\u2019\u201d
Flynn is known for her pesky defense and knockdown three-point shooting. She\u2019s a three-year varsity player whose effort always shows up in games. Even without Porter, Marist\u2019s strength in numbers ethos was evident in multiple players scoring in double figures.
\u201cWe all knew we needed to step up because she was out,\u201d Flynn said. \u201cWe all just put in a little extra effort to make sure we could still pull out the win without Porter.\u201d
Playing a competitive schedule helps Marist prepare for top-tier opponents. Last season, the RedHawks\u2019 season ended after an IHSA Class 4A section loss to Kenwood. Against Fremd, Marist led by 14 points in the fourth quarter. The RedHawks were in control because of their constant motion and cutting that put the Vikings in a bind.
But Fremd responded with an 8-2 lead in the fourth to cut Marist\u2019s lead to eight points. The RedHawks regrouped and closed the game out at the free throw line.
\u201cMentally, you have to prepare yourself for all of the hardships that\u2019s going to happen during the game,\u201d Cosme said. \u201cAnd that does happen a lot when we play all of those good teams, but it also prepares us for teams like [Fremd].\u201d
The team\u2019s selflessness offensively allowed it to survive Fremd\u2019s late rally and Porter\u2019s injury.
\u201cWe depend on each other,\u201d coach Renee Chimino said. \u201cThey wanted this game. They were excited to play this game against one of the top teams in the state. They wanted to prove that they could compete with the best in the state.\u201d<\/p>\n