It's a Chicago final: Marshall vs. Simeon

PEORIA -- Champaign Central nearly ruined the script.

But when two-time defending Class AA state champion Simeon prevailed with a 13-point unanswered burst in the waning moments, a historic day for boys basketball and the city of Chicago was complete on Friday afternoon.

The Wolverines' come-from-behind 51-46 victory over Champaign Central, which followed fellow Public League member Marshall escaping with a hard-fought 63-57 triumph over Washington, meant a collision of implacable forces was at hand for the inaugural Class 3A state championship this afternoon at Carver Arena.

"I'm living a fairy tale right now," Marshall coach Courtney Hargrays said.

The subplots are as entangled as they are inescapable.

It will be the third time the teams have meet in the Final Four in as many years as Simeon dispatched the Commandos en route to state titles the last two years.

Simeon (29-3) will attempt to become the third school in state history -- joining Peoria Manual (1994-97) and East St. Louis Lincoln (1987-89) -- to win three straight basketball championships.

For Marshall (31-4), the symmetry of past success is inseparable from its potential symbolic value.

Fifty years ago this month, Marshall became the first Chicago public high school to win a state championship.

Two weeks ago in Normal, the Commandos' legendary girls program notched another state title, meaning the boys squad can duplicate Teutopolis' singular feat from 1986 of winning titles by both genders in the same season.

One final thing: it will be the first-ever all-Public League state championship as the South Side Wolverines square off with the West Side Commandos.

Simeon dominated Marshall 64-45 at the Public League Holiday tournament in early January.

Washington (26-4) and Champaign Central (24-8) face off in the third-place game at 11 a.m., with the title game to follow at 12:45.

The Panthers were the local favorites, and their star player, Indiana-bound shooting guard Matt Roth, did not disappoint the massive Washington fan base.

In a game with 12 ties and an equal number of lead changes, the senior drained six 3-pointers to lead all players with 20 points.

"I had heard all about (Roth) but had never seem him play," Marshall junior standout Darius Smith said.

"When he hit that first shot from 25 feet (in the first quarter), I thought to myself, 'Oh man, everything (about him) is true.' "

The game had a fast and furious pace to start; Marshall built a 22-17 lead after the opening quarter, but Hargrays' decision to go into a prolonged stall early in the second backfired.

The Commandos were held scoreless for the last six-plus minutes, and Roth connected on three 3-pointers in the quarter to give Washington a 30-29 lead at the break.

The game resumed its accelerated pace after halftime, and the Commandos' fearsome combination of depth and athleticism took its toll.

In addition, Smith, a do-it-all guard who had 9 points, 11 rebounds and 5 assists, was given the defensive assignment to negate Roth.

It worked.

"I think (Smith) was one of the toughest guys I've played against," Roth said. "(Marshall) played a great defensive game and made it tough for me."

With Davaris Davis leading three Commandos in double figures with 11 points, Marshall built its largest lead to 60-50 with 3:34 to play.

Dyricus Simms-Edwards (15 points) triggered a late Washington run, and Roth stole an inbounds pass and nailed the last of his 3-pointers to reduce the Commandos' lead to 60-57 with 24 seconds to play.

But Marshall regrouped and sealed its first state-title appearance since 1962 with three late free throws.

The Simeon victory in the second semifinal was far from a work of art for the storied program.

Horrendous shooting, foul problems and the Maroons' terrific trio of Donald Stewart, Verdell Jones and Keith Biggers left Simeon in a double-digit deficit to start the fourth quarter.

But Illinois-bound center Stan Simpson re-energized the Wolverines' offense, and guards Kenyon Smith and Lazeric Jones proved to be the difference down the stretch.

"We had to give it everything we had," Simeon coach Rob Smith said.

"I told myself that I needed to step up," said Jones.

Simeon unleashed a full-court press with devastating results that Smith and Jones capitalized with equal ferocity.

With Champaign leading 44-38 late in the game, Illinois State-bound Smith reduced the Maroons' lead in half with a 3-pointer.

Jones then had back-to-back driving layups, the second one turned into a 3-point play that gave Simeon the lead for good.

Brandon Orange extended the run to 12 straight with a steal and breakaway dunk as Champaign withered.

"They're on a mission to defend that third straight championship," Champaign Central coach Scott Davis said. "We panicked -- there's no question about it."

Simpson led all players with 16 points; Jones and Smith combined for 24 more. Verdell Jones paced Champaign with 15 points.

"We're not playing our best basketball," Smith said. "We're just finding ways to win."