With baskets being hard to come by, Marian Catholic’s Alainna Poisson was feeling the pain.
But even though the Spartans suffered an offensive breakdown Thursday night, the senior point guard wasn’t going to give up — and she wasn’t going to let her teammates give up, either.
“I told my teammates to keep shooting and keep shooting,” Poisson said afterward. “It’s really hard when we’re not hitting shots, but we have to keep picking each other up.”
Poisson provided that pick-up-me up when Marian Catholic needed it the most.
After Providence cut a six-point deficit to one, Poisson hit a huge 3-pointer with 2:21 remaining in the fourth quarter for some breathing room as the host Spartans held on for a 32-29 victory in the Class 3A Marian Catholic Sectional championship game.
Taylor Bolton, who made the team’s only other 3-pointer, finished with 13 points and 11 rebounds for Marian Catholic (27-8), which won its fourth straight sectional title. Gracie Jensen added six rebounds and six steals.
Taylor Healy paced Providence (23-12) with 17 points and 10 rebounds. Molly Knight had seven points and eight rebounds.
Poisson — who ended up with six points Thursday, which was second on the team — let the ball fly behind the top of the key for the dramatic 3-pointer.
“That was like the greatest feeling ever,” Poisson said. “It was such a big game, and we needed a shot. We knew we needed a bucket to give us a big lead.”
Bolton, who said that she and her fellow seniors did not want to end their final game in the Spartans’ gym with a loss, was pumped up about Poisson’s long-range strike.
“Alainna is always clutch,” Bolton said. “She has the hardest job being a point guard, and sometimes, I think she gets overlooked.
“But when she hits a big bucket like that, she will get recognized. I definitely feel like this moment right here is very special for her and for the team.”
It also means Marian gets to advance to a 6:30 p.m. game Monday in the Hinsdale South Supersectional against St. Ignatius (30-4) in Darien.
St. Ignatius rolled to a 65-37 win over Perspectives Leadership to win the St. Laurence Sectional. Reganne Reardon scored a program-record 39 points.
The Spartans took their four straight sectional title but still feel like they have unfinished business with an 0-3 record in their last three supersectionals. Poisson has been on varsity all four years.
“We want to go downstate,” she said. “It’s been tough knowing that we get this far and just miss getting to state. We want to do it this time.”
In 2022, Marian dropped a tough 49-40 decision to downstate Morton at the Streator Supersectional. In 2023, Spartans suffered a tight 37-34 loss to Peoria in Pontiac.
Last season, it was another heartbreaking 36-30 loss for the Spartans to host Hinsdale South.
Marian coach Dan Murray knows his team survived an off shooting night but was glad the Spartans could still win against the Celtics. Marian beat Providence 52-41 earlier in the season.
“At this time of year, it’s win and move on,” Murray said. “It was a grind-it-out game for both teams. Shooting has been one of our strengths all year. It was mostly a four-point game in the fourth quarter, and we felt that if we could hit a three, it becomes a three-possession game.
“But they cut it to one, and Alaina’s shot was huge.”
It also wasn’t unexpected.
“You have a kid who has been a point guard for three supersectional teams and that says it all,” Murray said. “She’s our leader and general, and I have the utmost confidence in her.”
Jeff Vorva is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
