CHAMPAIGN — Marist’s Kendall Meyers knew that getting to the basket would require fearlessness against a York team that hangs its hat on size and toughness.
That didn’t worry Meyers. With a trip to the state championship game on the line, the 6-foot-6 junior forward was ready for anything the Dukes could dish out.
And the RedHawks? Meyers believes they’re pretty tough, too.
“It’s just the coaches preaching violence,” he said. “That’s what we try to emphasize all season — violence, violence, violence. Just going in there and not being scared, being willing to go through them and not around them.
“We knew it’d be a physical game. We knew they were bigger. But we also knew we were more athletic and we play harder.”
Meyers definitely attacked with a fierceness. He scored 15 points and came away with five steals to lead Marist, which rolled to a 55-38 win over York in a Class 4A state semifinal at the State Farm Center.
Charles Barnes scored 14 points for the RedHawks (32-5), while Adoni Vassialkis finished with nine. NC State football recruit Stephen Brown added eight points and six rebounds. TJ Tate contributed six points and three assists.
Hunter Stephanich finished with 10 points and seven rebounds for York (32-5). Jackson Rennick scored nine points.
Marist will play at 6 p.m. Saturday in the championship game against Benet (36-1), a 39-38 winner over DePaul Prep in the other semifinal. It’s an all-East Suburban Catholic final in the last year of the conference. Benet beat Marist 77-68 on Feb. 17.
That will complete a long journey for seniors like Vassilakis, Brown and Tate, who have played together on varsity since their freshman year.
“In my eyes, I always saw us getting here,” Brown said. “It just took time. But we finally got here.”
Meyers was a big reason why Friday. His defense sparked a dream start for Marist, which forced nine turnovers in the first quarter and raced to a 21-4 lead.
More Top Picks Rca Rmw733
“It was just about being calm before the game,” Meyers said. “We take a minute before every game to think to ourselves. Before that, we were all listening to ‘Dreams and Nightmares’ by Meek Mill and just vibing.
“It’s just a great group of guys and we love playing together.”
Meyers began the season as the team’s sixth man before stepping into the starting lineup after an injury to Karson Thomas.
At the start of the season, Meyers didn’t imagine that he would be the team’s leading scorer in a state semifinal.
“Honestly, I didn’t expect that,” he said. “I just wanted to play my role. If it came to me, it came to me. If it didn’t, it didn’t. I’m just glad we got the win.
“We had a tough stretch in the middle of the season, and I’m just glad we were able to put that behind us and get where we are.”
Meyers was a consistent force Friday, scoring eight points in the first half and seven in the second.
Barnes has become accustomed to seeing that kind of production.
“I’ve known Kendall for a long time,” Barnes said. “We grew up together. Watching him progress is really amazing. He pushes me every day in practice. We’ve been going head-to-head since the summer.
“I feel like iron sharpens iron, so he’s helped me a lot.”
The RedHawks stayed ahead by double digits throughout the final three quarters of a dominant win Friday that sends them into Saturday’s championship game with all kinds of momentum.
And while Marist coach Brian Hynes has heard the hype surrounding the semifinal between last season’s Class 3A and 4A champs in DePaul Prep and Benet, he believes his team should not be counted out.
“There’s been a lot of talk that the other game is the state championship,” Hynes said. “We heard that rumor and it got us pretty fired up.”
Meyers is certainly ready to bring the fight one more time. After he takes time to soak in the semifinal win.
“It’s a surreal feeling,” he said. “I never would have necessarily thought I’d be here. You wait for moments like this. You pray for them. Now we’re here.”