Streaking Marmion wins again

Maybe Kankakee expected to see the Marmion team that started the season 1-4 when the Kays opened play Monday at Waubonsie Valley's Warrior Christmas Classic.

The problem is that the Cadets are a much different team, now with a full lineup with Tyler Hlavac and Nick Scoliere healthy.

Marmion proved that once again in a convincing 54-38 victory, giving the Cadets (6-4) five straight wins heading into a tough matchup today against Naperville North.

Kankakee coach Ronnie Wilcox said his team wasn't prepared for the Cadets to play as well as they did.

"I think our guys mentally took these guys lightly," Wilcox said. "I tried to prepare them that they are going to be disciplined, they are going to be patient."

Kankakee (4-4) took its only lead at 3-2. John Mason's basket put the Cadets back on top, then Mark Peters began to take over.

The Cadets' senior big man, coming off a 24-point game Friday against Montini, scored 13 of his 23 points in the first half as the Cadets built a 26-17 lead.

The Kays came at Marmion with trapping, pressure defense, both full court and half court. For the most part Marmion shredded the defense with crisp ball movement.

"We knew there were going to be gaps and we saw just what we practiced," Peters said.

Hlavac added 14 points and along with Greg Askwith and Scoliere led the Cadets' ballhandlers that only turned the ball over 11 times.

"The game plan going in was when you play against a team that presses for 32 minutes is you make them pay," Marmion coach Rashon Burno said. "The thing we worked on in practice is you punish a team that presses. You can't get the ball over half court and relax."

Peters, an 85 percent free-throw shooter, upped that a little higher with a perfect 13 of 13 effort.

"I've never had a day like that," said Peters, who expected the Cadets to be playing like they have been in their recent winning streak.

"Everyone is finding their roles and we have big momentum going and we plan to keep it going."

The Cadets outrebounded the Kays by 7, led by Peters' 10, 7 by Askwith and 5 from Mason.

Chris Malone's 10 points paced the Kays, who shot just 27 percent (12 of 44) from the field.

"It boils down to we beat ourselves," Wilcox said. "We didn't do the things we are capable of doing."

Marmion returns to tournament play at 4 p.m. today against Naperville North, who beat the short-handed Cadets 72-52 in their season opener.

"I think this is going to be our biggest game of the tournament," Peters said. "They will see a different team than they saw the first game."