Photo by Samantha Davis. Marshall junior guard Talay Gabigler will throw a pass across court through the defender during the Class AAA state semi-finals at Williams Arena in Minneapolis on Thursday. The Tigers are playing in the state title today against Benildo St. Margaret.
Minneapolis – The Marshall Girls basketball team has reached its first state title since back-to-back championships in 2001 and 2002. Margaret hopes to win the third state championship in the program’s history.
Since the Tigers’ final state championship, they have participated in 11 state tournaments and four state championship games prior to this year. Now they will get over the hump and return to the summit.
“It’s not easy to reach a state championship. Winning a state championship is not easy, and the teams we play are full of talent.” Marshall head coach Dan Westby said. “We know we have a tough job ahead of us. We just prepare, prepare, prepare, do what we can. It will be difficult, there is no doubt about that. They have a lot of skilled players, and that will pose a huge challenge for us.”
Benilde-St in the final vote before the postseason. Margaret ranked fourth in the Class AAA, while Marshall ranked second. The Red Knights were second seed in the 6A tournament, behind No. 3 Orono, but blew the Spartan 74-53 and enjoyed Marshall for the top seed in the state tournament.
Outside of basketball season, the Tigers have many state tournament experiences. Reese Drake, Avery Fahl, Kezlin, Kerr Pinkney and Halle DeVos played as Tigers’ state volleyball runner-ups this year. Foal, Drake and Kia Pinckney also played in the 2023 State Volleyball Championship victory, with Schneecross and Bigler winning the State Cross Country Championship in 2023 at Marshall.
“I think one of these state tournament experiences would be helpful.” Westby said. “This group is pretty focused and ready. I think they know this is going to be a tough job, but they did whatever this group had to do all year round. I think we have to do something special to get them moving… we need to make sure we take care of the ball.”
Westby pointed to rebound and sales as areas the Tigers struggled in the quarterfinals and semifinals at Rockridge and Cretinderham Hall. Marshall committed 12 sales against Cretin Durham Hall, but he ousted 22 out of the Raiders and tied up Rockridge with 18 prizes each to win the turnover battle.
The Tigers were outbounded 12-7 on offensive glass with a 10-5 deficit at second chance point against Rockridge on Wednesday, falling 44-39 on the board with an 8-7 deficit at second chance point in Thursday’s victory with the Raiders.
Marshall has each won a big game for the Tigers in the first two rounds of the tournament. Drake scored 26 points on 6 rebounds and six assists in the Tigers’ 67-51 victory at Rockridge, with 26 points on nine turnovers and six assists, while Bigler recorded 30 points, 57-48, 57-48, and 11 double-doubles on Thursday.
The current Red Knight crop was inactive when Marshall defeated Benilde-St. Margaret is the 2023 Volleyball Championship Game, with the team being as loaded as anyone with experience at the state level. Benilde-st. Margaret entered today’s game as a two-time reigning champion, beating fourth-placed Stewartville 66-60 in the 2023 state championship and earning second DeLa Salle with a score of 81-58 as the top seed in last year’s final.
Meanwhile, this year’s team is primarily a new group after graduating from top scorers who, respectively, Sydney Friedley, Zahara Bishop, Kate Kaspner, Josine Naji and Mirawismer, who each ran in the championship games in both states. Friedly and Bishop each scored 11 points in the 2023 final, with Kaspner adding another nine, while Bishop also contributed eight points in last year’s victory.
In this year’s state tournament, all Red Knights returnees have shown their ability to trigger an attack. Friedley scored 20 points in the 60-52 semi-finals at fifth-placed Alexandria on Thursday, with Bishop scoring 22 points in his 84-58 victory at Stewartville on Wednesday. Sophomore Pressley Watkins contributed 21 points in Wednesday’s victory.
“I think it starts with putting people right in front of you.” Westby spoke about limiting Benilde-St. Margaret’s attack. “They have a few kids who are good at painting and finishing. We have to keep those kids right in front of us and not let it happen. That’s not easy, but it’s still a priority to head into the game because offensively, they’re very, very good.”
In Marshall’s first two rounds, the Tigers had some early horrors. Rockridge closed Marshall and then got behind the first half, a 35-21 lead was halftime to the Tigers, with Cretin Delham Hall in a break tied with Marshall 26-26.
“We need to get off to a better start, or they’re trying to get us into a bigger hole early.” Westby said. He said his team shot the ball well against Rockridge but struggled to find a rhythm with Cretinum Hall. The Tigers shot 11 of 24 from 3-point range against the Wolverine and 1/15 against the Raiders. “Hopefully tomorrow will be better as those initial experiences and victory are right behind us.”
Tip-off for today’s Championship Game at Williams Arena is set at 2pm Tickets must be purchased online at mshsl.org/tickets
Minneapolis – It took a long time for the women’s basketball team in southwestern Minnesota…
