There’s not denying the fact that if a South Seven Conference championship is in the cards for Marion’s boys basketball team this season, the Wildcats must defend their home court.

Even though it’s still early, it’s so far, so good for head coach Aaron Mattox and Co.
Marion, which is 2-1 in the league, has knocked off Mt. Vernon by five points and Belleville Althoff by nine points inside the friendly confines of Cuss Wilson Gymnasium.

The Wildcats’ only road conference game to date turned out to be a triple-overtime, heartbreaking loss against Cahokia.

Marion (13-5) will roll out the welcome mats for rival Carbondale Friday night. The Terriers own a 7-5 overall record and a 2-1 mark in the South Seven.

Carbondale has already earned a victory at Cuss Wilson Gymnasium this season, defeating Lexington (Ky.) Catholic, 65-64, during Marion’s Best of the Midwest Shootout on Dec. 13.

It was that win that turned around the Terriers’ 2-4 start. Since then Carbondale has won five of its last six games, including victories over East St. Louis (64-48), Memphis University (61-54), Bartlett (66-58) and Cahokia (70-51).

“They’re going to be a hard team to match up with because they can do so many things on the perimeter,” Mattox said. “I think we have to handle the pressure, take care of the basketball and find a way to guard them defensively.”

Carbondale features plenty of speed, quickness and versatility with this year’s ball club and its four-guard lineup.

Lafiet McDade has proven to be the most explosive Terrier this season, averaging 17.8 points per game followed by Ty Neal (14.8), Charles Woodson (14.6) and Connor Wheeler (7.7). Matt Blaise is the only starting forward in the starting lineup and is averaging 6.2 ppg.

The Terriers can fill up the stat sheet in a hurry and like to get up and down the floor on the fastbreak or in transition.

“They have four extremely quick, extremely talented and experienced guards,” Mattox said. “McDade is back out there for them this year and has been a big help. It’s kind of like picking your poison. On any given night, any one of those four guards can be the leading scorer.”

Mattox knows it will be another tough test for his Wildcats, who hope to offset the Terriers’ guard play with the size and strength of post players Nick Lewis, Aaron Adeoye and Josh Martin.

However, Marion has ample weapons at its guard positions with three-point specialist Dustin Knight, Isaiah Powe, A.J. Whitlock, Max James and super-substitute Brandon Woods, who has embraced his new role of coming off the bench.

“That just goes to show you what a special kid he is. I mean, he likes it. He thinks it gives him a chance to kind of take in the game for a second or two before he gets out there,” Mattox said. “I think he’s ended up playing actually more minutes in each game he’s coming off the bench. We’re trying to do some different things with him offensively. I think that’s opened up some other things for some other guys as well.”

Marion will travel to play Collinsville in the Highland Shootout at 4:30 p.m. Saturday.

The Kahoks are 4-10 overall this season, but have won three of their last four games after opening the season 1-9.

Collinsville is highlighted by 6-foot-3, 183-pound junior forward Robbie Fernandez and 6-2, 160-pound junior guard Austin Aush.

Fernandez leads the team in scoring at 14.7 points per game and on the boards at 6.1 rebounds per contest. Ash is scoring at a 12.6 ppg clip and has drained 29 of 69 three-point field goals (42 percent).

Ash is joined in the backcourt by seniors Quinton Collins and Erik Shannahan as the duo has combined for 67 assists in 14 games. Shannahan has 37 followed by Collins with 30 dimes.

The Kahoks own wins over Pleasant Plains, Urbana, Chatham Glenwood and most recently Granite City. Collinsville faces Belleville East Friday night before taking on Marion.