OTTAWA – Edwardsville's Mark Smith is getting tons of attention these days.
Attention from major-college coaches. Attention from statewide media. Attention from fans who are clamoring for him to bring his talents to their school.
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All Smith wants to do is help the Tigers reach a state championship.
The 6-4 senior scored 45 points, one short of the record for the 85-year-old Kingman Gym, and added 13 rebounds and four assists Friday night to help EHS to an 81-59 win over Danville in the IHSA Class 4A Ottawa Sectional final, sending the Tigers to Tuesday's Normal Super-Sectional at Illinois State's Redbird Arena against Chicago Simeon; the game tips at 7 p.m., with the winner moving into the March 17 Class 4A state semifinals in Peoria.
When told that his game put him a point short of the building record, Smith – with one of the nets from the game hanging around his neck – said “it doesn't matter to me; I'm just glad we won the game, we're advancing and coach (Mike) Waldo's going to have a great game plan for Tuesday and we're looking forward to it.
“I just wanted to win; I wanted to do whatever I can to win, that's all.”
If the Tigers get past Simeon, they go to the state tournament. “I'm looking forward to it,” Smith said. “We're just trying to take one game at a time.”
Should the Tigers reach Peoria, the chance to close out his career, along with long-time teammates A.J. Epenesa and Oliver Stephen, would be something great. “That would be a great way (to finish his career with is teammates),” Smtih said. “We're just taking it one at a time.”
The key to the game, in Smith's view, was how they went to the basket and guarded Danville. “We guarded (Kendle Moore and Caleb Griffith) – those are great players – and we guarded them really well. Nathan (Kolesa) did a great job again coming off the bench and Jack (Marinko) did an amazing job.”
“it's exciting and I can't wait,” Marinko said of Tuesday's matchup against the Wolverines. “Simeon's going to be a tough game to play; we've got to get past them; we'll just have to go to work. I think it's great for our seniors; they've been working all this time all four years and it's just great to get there.”
