Basketball

2022-2023 VARSITY SCHEDULE & SCORE

DATE TIME-VARSITY* LOCATION OPPONENT   SCORE
11/22 7:30 PM Roxana Tournament North Greene W 64-15
11/23 6:00 PM Roxana Tournament Jerseyville W 63-52
11/25 TBA Roxana Tournament Centralia L 49-60
11/26 TBA Roxana Tournament Freeburg (3rd Place)  W 63-55
11/29 7:30 PM HOME Highland L 52-56
12/03 7:30 PM AWAY Breese Mater Dei L 37-68
12/06 7:30 PM HOME Fr. McGivney W 52-38
12/09 7:30 PM AWAY MELHS W 88-41
12/13 7:30 PM  Rescheduled 1/14 Christ our Rock Lutheran    
12/14 7:30 PM HOME Priory W 47-43
12/16 7:30 PM AWAY Maryville Christian W 63-34
12/23
5:30 PM
CANCELED  Roxana    
12/27 11:00 AM Freeburg Tournament Freeburg L 49-58
12/27 5:00 PM Freeburg Tournament Gibault L 51-62
12/28 3:30 PM Freeburg Tournament Piasa L 43-45
12/29 TBA Freeburg Tournament Nelson County W 64-33
1/03 7:30 PM AWAY Hillsboro W 68-61
1/06 7:30 PM HOME Granite City L 31-34
1/07 6:00 PM HOME Breese Central L 22-47
1/10 7:30 PM HOME Bunker Hill W 62-30
1/13 7:30 PM AWAY Fr. McGivney W 73-51
1/14 5:00 PM AWAY Christ Our Rock Lutheran (no jv) L 47-62
1/17 7:30 PM AWAY Highland (Okawville Tournament) W 53-48
1/20 7:30 PM AWAY Columbia (Okawville Tourn.) L 48-64
1/21 TBA TBA  Gibault (Okawville Tourn.) L 45-47
1/24 7:30 PM HOME Althoff  W 86-61
1/31 7:30 PM HOME MELHS W 69-57
2/03 7:30 PM HOME Christ our Rock Lutheran W 40-38
2/04 3:00 PM AWAY West Central (QND Shootout) L 46-54
2/07 7:30 PM HOME | SENIOR NIGHT Maryville Christian   W 62-42
2/10 7:30 PM AWAY Bunker Hill   W 82-50
2/14 7:30 PM AWAY Civic Memorial   W 44-33
2/16 7:30 PM AWAY Gibault Catholic   W 47-42
2/22 6:00 PM IHSA 2Litchfield Regional Litchfield W 57-38
2/24 7:00 PM IHSA Litchfield Reg. Final Pana W 43-32
3/1 7:00 PM IHSA Newton Sectional Teutopolis L 28-54
    Overall 21-13 GMC Record 9-1    
 

am fam logo Fischer door logo liberty bank
*JV Plays immediately before Varsity unless noted.
 

2022 -2023 VARSITY ROSTER

# PLAYER POSITION HEIGHT CLASS
1 Parker Macias Guard 5'9" Senior
2 Braden Kline Guard 6'3" Junior
3 Sean Williams Guard 6'1" Junior
4 Kendall Lavender Forward 6'3" Senior
5 Kendall VanDyke Guard 6'2" Sophomore
10 Jaden Rochester Forward 6'4" Junior
11 Dre Davis Guard 5'11" Senior
13 Jaylen Cawthon Guard 5'11" Junior
23 Jack Spain Forward 6'5" Senior
24 Brody Bechtold Forward 6'7" Junior
32 Christian Williams Forward 6'6" Junior
34 Luke Curry Forward 6'2" Sophomore

2022-23 JV ROSTER 

# PLAYER POSITION HEIGHT CLASS
0 Kaylan Young Guard 5'6" Junior
3 Sean Williams Guard 6'1" Junior
5 Kendall VanDyke Guard 6'2" Sophomore
13 Jaylen Cawthon Guard 5'11" Junior
14 Isaiah Redd Guard 6'4" Freshman
20 Carson Jones Forward 6' Freshman
24 Brody Bechtold Forward 6'7" Junior
32 Christian Williams Forward 6'6" Junior
34 Luke Curry Forward 6'2" Sophomore
35 Duarell Blocker Forward 6'2" Junior
 

2022 - 2023 FRESHMAN ROSTER 

# PLAYER POSITION HEIGHT
0 Sam Rea Guard 5'8"
1 Jack Rea Guard 5'10"
4 Boden Fraley Guard 5'9"
5 Andrew Belden Guard 5'5"
12 Aaryn Douglas Center 6'4"
14 Isaiah Redd Guard 5'7"
15 Noah Menke Guard 5'10"
20 Carson Jones Forward 6'
21 Joseph Miller Guard 5'6"
22 Jalen Cotton Forward 6'
24/25 Anthony Peebles Forward 5'10"
41 Carson Bauer Center 6'
42 Owen Page Center 6'1"
43 Elijah Heru Forward 5'11"
44 Anthony Peebles Forward 5'10"
45 Jayden Lederer Forward 5'9"

alton telegraph logo

Kline more than a 'physical sniper from deep' for Marquette

PREP YEAR IN REVIEW: Small-Schools Boys Basketball Player of the Year Braden Kline of Marquette Catholic

Marquette Catholic junior Braden Kline shoots over Teutopolis' James Niebrugge with the Wooden Shoe's Caleb Siemer (54) also defending the lane in a March 1 semifinal of the Newton Class 2A Sectional. Kline is the 2022-23 Telegraph Small-Schools Boys Basketball Player of the Year.

Marquette Catholic junior Braden Kline shoots over Teutopolis' James Niebrugge with the Wooden Shoe's Caleb Siemer (54) also defending the lane in a March 1 semifinal of the Newton Class 2A Sectional. Kline is the 2022-23 Telegraph Small-Schools Boys Basketball Player of the Year.

Greg Shashack / The Telegraph

ALTON – Braden Kline was not the author, but he knows the book on Braden Kline.

“I’m definitely labeled as a shooter,” he said.

The book is not wrong. It’s a consensus opinion, Kline is a shooter.

“Big and physical sniper from deep,” wrote on college basketball scouting service after seeing Kline on the AAU summer circuit. “Kline has been excelling in his catch-n-shoot actions. He’s relentless in the paint area with an efficient mid-range jumper, and already a college level passer. Defensively, Kline plays great help side defense, and is a relentless rebounder.”

Marquette Catholic's Braden Kline (right) shoots a 3-pointer over a Centralia defender in a game last November at the Roxana Hoopsgiving Classic.

Marquette Catholic's Braden Kline (right) shoots a 3-pointer over a Centralia defender in a game last November at the Roxana Hoopsgiving Classic.

Greg Shashack / The Telegraph

His talent beyond catch-n-shoot sniper from deep made Kline the 2022-23 Telegraph Small-Schools Basketball Player of the Year as a junior for the Marquette Catholic Explorers. And the 6-foot-3 guard who made 103 3-pointer while shooting 44 percent from the arc for a 21-13 Marquette team is providing more material for the book on Braden Kline.

“There are other aspects of my game,” Kline said, “like my defense and just being able to get to the rim, that I’ve been working on to be a more well-rounded player, definitely.”

Kline was a sophomore starter, averaging 8.7 points per game as the understudy for senior Owen Williams, a 3-point shooter with the athleticism to slash to the basket. Williams averaged 14 points a game and was the 2021-22 Telegraph Player of the Year.

Marquette Catholic's Braden Kline handles the ball against CM in a February game in Bethalto.

Marquette Catholic's Braden Kline handles the ball against CM in a February game in Bethalto.

Greg Shashack / The Telegraph

“Owen was great player and I think he and I have some similarities,” Kline said. “I knew I was going to have to step up and fill his shoes, a little bit.”

Kline had the feet and talent that proved up to the job immediately as a junior, scoring 21 points a game while converting 18 of 35 shots from 3-point range in Marquette’s 3-1 start at the season-opening Roxana Hoopsgiving Classic.

That set the path for a winter that saw Kline average 15.1 points per game to lead the Explorers to a 20-win season with Gateway Metro Conference and Class 2A regional championships before a sectional semifinal defeat to Teutopolis.

Marquette Catholic's Braden Kline (2) goes to the basket against CM's Manny Silva in a Feb. 14 game at Bethalto.

Marquette Catholic's Braden Kline (2) goes to the basket against CM's Manny Silva in a Feb. 14 game at Bethalto.

Greg Shashack / The Telegraph

“Overall, it was a pretty good season for us,” Kline said. “We got 20 wins, which is always nice. We won a regional. Sectionals didn’t go as we wanted, but it was a good year. Cody Best, it was his first year as coach and I thought he did a very good job.”

Brad Kline, an assistant under Steve Medford at Marquette, stayed on staff as a coach under Best. Brad Kline was a starter for Alton Redbirds boys basketball as a senior in 1990, but his son wears the blue of Marquette Catholic.

“Both my parents went to Alton. Both of my sisters went to Marquette,” Braden Kline said. “For basketball reasons, and academically, this was a better fit for me. I grew up in the Alton school district, but Marquette ended up being the best place for me.”

Marquette Catholic's Braden Kline pushes the ball upcourt against CM in a Feb. 14 game at Bethalto.  

Marquette Catholic's Braden Kline pushes the ball upcourt against CM in a Feb. 14 game at Bethalto.

Greg Shashack / The Telegraph

Kline played baseball up to middle school and ran track as a freshman at Marquette. But it’s all basketball now. Really, it has been since he started competitive basketball in third grade. “I’ve been playing ever since,” Kline said.

Whether he was good from his first start as 8 year old, Kline cannot confirm

“It’s all a blur for me really, I’ve played so much over the years,” he said with a laugh. “But, yeah, I’d like to think so.”

Marquette Catholic's Braden Kline shoots a 3-pointer in a game last November at the Roxana Hoopsgiving Classic.

Marquette Catholic's Braden Kline shoots a 3-pointer in a game last November at the Roxana Hoopsgiving Classic.

Greg Shashack / The Telegraph

Marquette coach Cody Best did not see the grade-school version of Braden Kline. But he likes what he sees when his Marquette sharpshooter gets hot.

“You never know when he’s going to get going,” Best said after a game last season. “He’s just one of those guys, if he sees one go in, there’s going to be more coming. He’s got the green light, from everywhere.”

Kline saw a career-high eight 3-pointers go in while lighting up the Jersey Panthers for a career-high 31 points at Roxana’s Thanksgiving Tourney. Kline went 8 of 10 from the arc against the Panthers.

Marquette Catholic's Braden Kline drives on CM's Manny Silva (3) in a Feb. 14 game at Bethalto.

Marquette Catholic's Braden Kline drives on CM's Manny Silva (3) in a Feb. 14 game at Bethalto.

Greg Shashack / The Telegraph

“Braden Kline, he’s very dangerous when he’s like that,” Best said. “Tonight, he didn’t miss. And we’ll be pretty tough to beat whenever Braden Kline can shoot like that.”

Kline and the Explorers will be hoping for more nights like that this winter. Kline is back, but Marquette graduated four of its first six players, including 10 points a game from point guard Parker Macias and nine points a game from forward Kendall Lavender.

“We do lose a lot, but I think we have a good core with our five seniors and a couple players contributing off the bench,” Kline said. “I definitely think we can reach 20 wins again and, hopefully, go even further in the playoffs.”

Marquette Catholic's Braden Kline (2) has no explanation for teammate Dre Davis after Kline hit another in a streak of 3s in a game at last season's Roxana Tournament. 

Marquette Catholic's Braden Kline (2) has no explanation for teammate Dre Davis after Kline hit another in a streak of 3s in a game at last season's Roxana Tournament. 

Greg Shashack / The Telegraph

Kline hits his senior season with 782 career points and figures to be the first Explorer to eclipse 1,000 points since Shandon Boone in 2016. But Kline wants to do more than score. He wants lead like some of the Explorers he watched growing up.

“I have to be a leader on this team,” Kline said. “It’s my senior year, which is crazy to me. I remember coming to games and watching guys like Sammy Green and a lot of others. It was cool to watch them play and now I’m where they are.”

 

Riverbender.com logo

Explorers Win Regional Title Over Pana Thanks To Big Outing From Rochester

 

Explorers Win Regional Title Over Pana Thanks To Big Outing From Rochester
Explorers Win Regional Title Over Pana Thanks To Big Outing From Rochester
LITCHFIELD – “We had three goals this year: 20 wins, win conference, and win a regional,” Marquette Catholic senior Parker Macias said.

 

The Explorers already checked the first two boxes and finished off the to-do list Friday night.

Marquette defeated the Pana Panthers by a score of 43-32 in the Class 2A Regional Finals Friday night inside a loud Litchfield High School gym. It is the program’s seventh regional title dating back to 2010.

“It doesn’t get much better than this,” Marquette head coach Cody Best said about winning the regional in his first year at the school.

The Explorers are now 21-12 on the season and advance to the Sectional Semifinals where they’ll take on a tough Teutopolis team. The Wooden Shoes beat Robinson in their Regional Final game by a score of 59-40.

The main storyline of the night was the arrival of junior Jaden Rochester. For the third straight game, he’s scored in double digits. He scored 12 points in the regular season finale against state-ranked Gibault and 12 again against Litchfield in the first round of the playoffs.

 

 

Friday night he exploded and scored 17 points against Pana; his career high.

“He’s got that ‘it’ factor,” Best said. “He’s going to get a rebound, block a shot, but everybody believes in him. He’s got all the confidence in the world right now.”

“My teammates are trusting me,” Rochester said. “Sometimes they just need someone to step up and it was just my game to step up.”

“It’s huge,” Macias said about his teammate. “He’s always had it in him. He’s the most athletic guy on the court at all times. Today he played amazing, I’m so proud of the kid.”

Macias called the 6-foot-3 Rochester a “gentle giant”.

Also in double digits was senior Kendall Lavender with 12 points. Senior Jack Spain came off the bench and hit two huge threes in the second quarter, finishing the night with those six points.

Junior Sean Williams and Macias each scored three while senior Braden Kline, the team’s leading scorer, was held to just two points on the night.

Article continues after sponsor message

Marquette got off to a good start and was up 10-7 after the first quarter.

Pana’s Devon Peebles hit a three to tie the game at 10 and then another basket to go ahead. This would be the Panthers’ final lead of the night.

Back-to-back baskets from Rochester and Spain’s two three-pointers grew Marquette’s lead to 22-14 at the half.

Pana tried to rally a comeback, but Marquette would not be denied. Rochester scored another five points in the third and Williams made a three to go up 33-20 after three.

Marquette didn’t make a field goal in the fourth quarter but made up for it by shooting a perfect 10-10 from the free-throw line. Those clutch shots turned out to be the difference maker for the Explorers.

They went on to win in front of a huge traveling fan section.

“We knew they were going to travel wherever we go,” Best said about the Blue Crew. “It was like a home game for us and that’s what we needed.”

“It means everything to me,” Macias said about the sea of blue shirts in the stands. “It’s awesome seeing them come support us. Truly, they are the sixth man. It helps us when they’re out there. They bring all the energy, it’s awesome.”

Marquette did their homework, watched the film, and things went pretty much exactly to plan. All year the team has been striving on their defense, and that work is paying off.

“We held them to 32 points, so I’d say we did our job,” Best said. “I’ll take that against anybody.”

The Explorers don’t plan on stopping anytime soon either. They believe they can beat T-Town and keep their season going.

“We’re going to be the underdog no matter who we play but we’ve got all the momentum in the world right now,” Best said.

“We’ve got momentum and we’re confident,” said Macias. “We think we can beat anyone.”

The Sectional Semifinal game against Teutopolis will be played Wednesday, March 1 at 7 p.m. in Newton.

 

riverbender logo

Silver Stallions Shut Down – Explorers Hand Christ Our Rock First Loss Of Season In Exciting Conference Rematch

 

Braden Kline goes on a fast break Friday night against Christ Our Rock. He finished the game with a team-high 15 points.
Braden Kline goes on a fast break Friday night against Christ Our Rock. He finished the game with a team-high 15 points.

 

ALTON – There wasn’t an empty seat in the building Friday night as the Marquette Catholic Explorers boy’s basketball team hosted Christ Our Rock Lutheran in a decisive Gateway Metro Conference game.

The Silver Stallions came into the game undefeated at 23-0 and had won the previous meeting with Marquette handily by a score of 62-47 back on. Jan. 14.

Marquette head coach Cody Best called the last meeting with Christ Our Rock “one of our worst games.” The Explorers had to chase the game the whole way after going down 18-6 after the first quarter.

The second meeting Friday night was the polar opposite.

The Explorers used an exuberant home crowd to hold on to a 40-38 win and tie themselves up at the top in the GMC standings. Both the Silver Stallions and Explorers are now 7-1 in the conference.

It was Christ Our Rock who opened to a 14-10 after the first quarter but the Explorers’ 11-1 run in the second gave them a 21-15 lead heading into the locker room.

Coming back onto the court the teams went back and forth with the Explorers still leading 28-24 through three.

Marquette opened the fourth with a couple of threes, one from Braden Kline and another from Parker Macias. Those shots pushed the Marquette lead to 34-26.

Christ Our Rock stormed back though and tied the game up at 36. It was another three, this time from junior Sean Williams to give Marquette the lead back at 39-36.

“Sean Williams doesn’t usually have the green light, but he had the green light on that one,” Best said jokingly. “He stepped up, he got rebounds for us, and he played his role. That’s all we need him to do.”

A bucket the other way made it 39-38 with just under two minutes remaining in the game.

The Explorers basically passed the ball around and played keep-away instead of trying to increase their lead late in the game. Down a point, the Silver Stallions had no other choice but to start fouling to try and regain possession.

Article continues after sponsor message

The fouls sent Macias to the line first shooting one-and-one. He missed, but the Explorers got the rebound and then Kendall Lavender was immediately fouled. He made his first free throw but missed the second. His team was up 40-38, but Christ Our Rock had the ball with 8.7 seconds left on the clock, plenty of time to go the other way and get a shot off.

Off the inbound, instead of going for the tie, the Silver Stallions shot a three for the win, but it didn’t go. As the buzzer sounded it was the ‘Blue Crew’ that stormed the court to celebrate the upset.

“We were able to hang on and control it,” Best said. “We didn’t turn it over as much as we did last time. The last four minutes were huge for us, we just controlled the ball.”

The win brings Marquette to 15-11 on the season, and they really dug deep to get this one.

“We wanted that win a lot,” Kline said who led all scorers with 15 points and five threes. “That’s the number one team in 1A and we just gave them their first loss, it feels great.”

He’s slightly exaggerating. The best Class 1A team is up for debate, but as of the latest Associated Press rankings, the Silver Stallions were ranked No. 3 in Illinois 1A.

Following Kline’s 15 points was Jaden Rochester with 12. Macias and Williams each finished with five while Lavender had four.

The Silver Stallions were led by Parker Boehne with 12 points and Dallas Fair with 10.

It’s worth mentioning that Christ Our Rock had a fairly large fan section as well that made the hour-and-a-half drive from Centralia and made the small Marquette gym louder than ever.

But Marquette fans had this game circled on the calendar and showed out with overfill from the body-to-body student section up on the stage.

“The atmosphere was amazing,” Kline said. “When you can get that many students here to support you, it’s awesome.”

After a long drive to Quincy, the Explorers will be back at home on Tuesday in what will probably be another sell-out crowd for Senior Night.

Marquette will host Maryville Christian at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 7.

 

alton telegraph logo

Marquette's 'great response' knocks out Freeburg at Hoopsgiving

Explorers go 3-1, take third place at Roxana Tourney

 
  •  
ROXANA – Before the Centralia Orphans would take down Gateway Legacy Christian in the Hoopsgiving Classic championship game Saturday night, Marquette was celebrating third place.

“We’ll take it,” Marquette coach Cody Best said of a 3-1 tourney performance with the lone defeat coming vs. Centralia. “We definitely got better, but it’s a long season. We’re just four games in. We’re in this for the long run.”

The Thanksgiving run at Roxana ended on a high note, with the Explorers beating the Freeburg Midgets 63-55 in Milazzo Gym in the third-place game in the second annual 12-team Hoopsgiving tourney.

“It’s a big win,” Marquette senior Kendall Lavender said. “Freeburg and Centralia, they’re both good teams. We came out on Freeburg and had a good run at the beginning. They punched us in the mouth and we came out after halftime and hit them back.”

Marquette’s haymakers staggered the Midgets in the first and third quarters. The Explorers knocked down five 3-pointers, including three from Braden Kline, in the first quarter and had Freeburg down 18-3 before settling for a 24-11 lead at the period’s end.

With Marquette cooling from the arc, the Midgets battled back to get within 32-27 at halftime.

“We punched them, they punched back,” Best said. “We’re a team that can get hot at any moment and we were lucky enough to get hot at the beginning. And in the third quarter, we got hot again.”

Kline, a 6-foot-3 junior representing the Explorers on the all-tourney team, scored nine in both the first and third quarters to finish with a team-high 18 points.

“These guys are tough,” Best said. “They know we’re going to have these runs all year long. And whether it’s good or bad, they’re not going to quit. Freeburg, kudos to them, they fought back and went on a run, too.”

But the 2-2 Midgets, who have lost their last seven games vs. Marquette since beating the Explorers in a holiday tourney in December 2015, could not survive the Explorers’ 17-3 run to open the third quarter.

“It’s a great response,” Lavender said. “It shows a lot of heart and perseverance and fight in our guys.”

Kline’s 3-pointer, his fourth of the game, on the opening possession of the second half sparked the surge that included Lavender getting active on the offensive boards and ended with Kline finding Jaden Rochester open for a basket that put Freeburg down 49-30 with 2:50 left in the third quarter.

“We talked about at halftime how we had only one offensive rebound,” Best said of Lavender's work on the boards. “He’s one of those guys, if I need somebody to go get a rebound, it’s going to be Kendall Lavender. He took that to heart, that’s what he does. He’s our tough guy.”

The 6-3 Lavender scored 15 points and was one of four Explorers in double figures.

“I just try to do whatever I need to do to help our team win,” Lavender said. “Tonight, offensive rebounds and being on the glass was one way because we knew how good Freeburg can rebound.”

Kline’s 18 points left him with a scoring average of 21 a game in the tourney. Marquette's Jack Spain scored 14 points and senior point guard Parker Macias scored 11 points, including 10 in the first half before taking the lead in withstanding Freeburg’s full-court pressure in the fourth quarter.

With the Midgets selling out to attack the ball, the Explorers discovered Spain. The 6-5 senior scored eight points in the fourth quarter, all coming on uncontested layups after hitting a pair of 3-pointers in the first half.

Freeburg got a game-high 23 points from junior all-tourney pick Cole Stuart, who scored 11 points in the final quarter and finished with four 3-pointers. Caleb Weber scored 17 points and Bryson Browning chipped in seven for the Midgets.

Marquette opens at home on Tuesday against a Highland team coming off a 3-1 week at the Effingham St. Anthony Tournament.

“It’s good to be 3-1, but we always want to be better,” Lavender said. “We’ll go back, clean up a few things and be ready for Highland on Tuesday.”

river bender logo
Marquette Catholic Junior Center Brody Hendricks Stands Out On Defensive Side Of Court

 

Brody
 
GRANITE CITY- Marquette High School boys basketball team is a competitive young team. With only one senior, underclassmen and juniors are the Explorers' most valuable players on a nightly basis.
 
While it is easy to notice the players putting up offensive points, defensive prowess is just as important on a good team. For the Explorers, No. 20, a junior center, Brody Hendricks is a pillar of defense.

 

Click here to read the full article.

 

river bender logo
Parker Macias Is Tucker's Automotive Repair & Tire Male Athlete Of Month For Marquette Catholic High School

macias
ALTON - Marquette Catholic junior Parker Macias has been a key cog in the Explorers' boys basketball team success so far in the 2021-2022 season.

 

Macias is the Tucker's Automotive Repair & Tire Male Athlete Of The Month For Marquette Catholic.

Parker thanked his parents for pushing him to work hard, but also reminding him to have fun and enjoy life.

"My sister was a successful athlete and I know that she is proud of my accomplishments," he said. "My family has always been supportive of me. Every coach I ever had helped me become a better person and athlete."

Some of Parker's key accomplishments are he was named to the Columbia Holiday Tournament All-Tournament Team so far this season.

"I have been the leading scorer in a lot of games and I average 13 points a game," he said. "But, I think my defense makes me a good all-around player. I average 3.8 steals a game and I take pride in playing tough defense.

"I have been playing basketball for 11 years. It’s fun to see hard work pay off. I put in a lot of hours in the off-season and it has really made a difference. Also, I love playing with this group of guys at Marquette. We are all friends and we are learning to trust each other when we play."

He said he is proud of his success in the classroom: "I made the high honor roll in the fall for the first time ever and I’m really proud of that."

Parker is also a cross country athlete.

Coach Steve Medford is Parker's head coach with the Explorers.

Parker said he loves playing for Coach Medford. "Coach Medford is a great coach and he knows how to get the best out of his players," Parker said. "He is hard on the whole team but it is fun when we go out and compete because we play a lot of other strong programs. It can be hard to play for a coach who expects so much effort and discipline, but it is rewarding and I would not want to play for anyone else."

Click here to read the full article.

HEAD COACH

best
Cody Best

ASSISTANT
COACHES

Brad Kline

JV COACH

Ryan Franklin

 

FRESHMAN COACH

Terry Peek
 
 

REGIONAL TITLES* SECTIONAL TITLES**

2010-2011 (25-8)*
2011-2012 (28-3)*
2012-2013 (21-9)
2013-2014 (22-7)* 3A
2014-2015 (18-12)
2015-2016 (21-10)*
2016-2017 (30-4)**
2019-2020 (26-7)*
2020-2021 (7-7)

ROXANA HOOPSGIVING TOURNAMENT:

2022- 3rd Place

all tourney team
Junior Braden Kline | All Tournament Team

HOLIDAY TOURNAMENT CHAMPS:

2011-2012
Lebanon, Columbia, & Litchfield
2012-2013
Columbia
2013-2014
Pittsfield & Columbia
2015-2016
MELHS, Columbia, & Sparta
2016-2017
MELHS, Columbia, & Sparta
2017-2018
MELHS, Columbia

20 WIN SEASONS:

1984, 1986, 1995, 1996, 2002, 2003, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018

30 WIN SEASONS:

2018

SENIOR NIGHT

Gallatin Awards | 2023

Parker Macias | 110 Percent
Kendall Lavender | Free Thows
Braden Kline | MVP

Okawville Invitational | 2023

Braden Kline - All Tourney Team

Telegraph Player of the Year

Braden Kline 2022-23
Owen Williams 2021-22

Gateway Metro All Conference 2022-23

All-Conference Team
Parker Macias
Braden Kline
 
Honorable Mention
Kendell Lavendar

Gateway Metro All Conference 2021-22

1st Team
Parker Macias
Owen Williams
 
Honorable Mention
Brody Hendricks

QND Shootout

Parker Macias | MVP | 2021-22
Columbia Tournament | 2021 | 2nd Place
1st Place
MELHS Turkey Day Tournament
Nick Hemann | Tournament MVP
Chris Hartrich | Tournament Team
Alton Telegraph Small-School Players of the Year - 2019

Prairie State All Conference 2019

1st Team
Nick Hemann
Chris Hartrich
 
Honorable Mention
Cortez Harris
spirit shop

Steve Medford
MOST MEMORABLE WINS

  1. 2017 Nashville Sectional Championship
  2. 2013 Alton Jersey Tournament
  3. 2017 McCluer North @ McCluer North
  4. 2014 Regional Jerseyville
  5. 2019 win over Belleville East and Highland
  6. 2019 Pickneyville in Sectional
  7. 2016 Roxana Regional
  8. 2021 Granite City last game COVID

Steve Medford
200th Win - 9th Season 

Career Record: 257-72 
(2011-20)

2017-2018     (28-0)
Undefeated Regular Season

District 19 IBCA Coach of the Year
2011, 2012, 2014, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020

Telegraph Coach of the Year
2011, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021

Advantage News Coach of the Year
2017 & 2018