The dream was conjured up six years ago, when Jason Marlow and four friends banded together to win the 7th-grade state basketball title.
That was quite an accomplishment for these five kids from tiny western Illinois town of Augusta, population 800.
They`d hang out at the Augusta grade school playground all summer, playing endlessly.
They won the 8th-grade state title and began wondering if, in their senior year at Southeastern High, it could all culminate in a Class A state championship.
”Right now, no one even realizes where we`re at,” said Marlow after his 25 points led Southeastern to a convincing 59-44 victory over Fairfield in the Class A state quarterfinals Friday at the Assembly Hall. The Suns (32-0)
advance to Saturday`s semifinals against University (28-3) from Normal, which thumped Sherrard in the first game 55-34.
Marlow`s farming family raises hogs six miles south of town, and basketball is his escape to a different world. Teammate Randy Long (10 points, four steals) is another farmer, while Jason Ippensen (nine points), Brian Hamilton and Brad Gooding are small-town boys who look on this university town as a thriving metropolis.
”There`s absolutely nothing to do in Augusta,” Marlow said. ”We have two restaurants, two gas stations and one bank.”
It also has five guys, none taller than 6 feet 2 inches, who`ve been bonding on the basketball court for six years.
”We know what the other is thinking even before he does anything,”
Marlow said.
These modern-day ”Hoosiers” matched taller Fairfield basket for basket before gradually pulling away in the final quarter. It helped that Kiley Gwaltney, Fairfield`s 6-5 Class A coaches all-stater, shot just 6 for 20 and 0 for 7 from the line. Even Eric Murphy`s 18-point, nine-rebound effort wasn`t enough to offset Gwaltney`s subpar performance.
Appropriately, the Suns made their move just when Marlow began driving around Gwaltney to either score on double-pump layups or dish off to Ippensen and Long.
After leading 24-18 at halftime, the Suns let the Mules (27-5) tie it at 34. Then a late burst provided Southeastern with a 41-36 edge going into the last eight minutes. Marlow`s two baskets and a pair of free throws pushed the Suns to a 53-40 lead they would never relinquish.
