Marian Central’s Juliette Huff surpasses 1,000 career points in close loss to Grayslake Central

GRAYSLAKE – Marian Central’s Juliette Huff wanted nothing more Monday than to end her team’s recent stretch of tough luck and losses.

Huff, whose Hurricanes went into Monday’s nonconference game against Grayslake Central with five losses in their last six games, did everything she could in the final moments.

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Marian Central's Elva Fallaw (right) tries to save the basketball in front of Grayslake Central's Annie Wolff during a nonconference girls basketball on Monday, Jan. 13, 2025, at Grayslake Central High School. (Gregory Shaver/Gregory Shaver )

Huff poured in a game-high 23 points, including 11 in the fourth quarter to go over 1,000 career points, but the Hurricanes fell short against the red-hot Rams 53-45.

“Juliette is such a great player. We’ve always got confidence in her,” Marian coach Lee Brown said of Huff, a Division-III Carroll commit. “The type of player she is, I think she sensed that she really wanted it.

“She took it upon herself to get aggressive, and we need her to do that. We need her to play that way in order for us to get some wins. She works hard, she’s smart, she’s tough, and she’s a great person to be around.”

Grayslake Central (15-4) won for the 12th time in 13 games, while Marian fell to 8-10.

The Rams, too, were led by a standout performance in the fourth quarter as senior forward and D-I Wisconsin-Green Bay commit Madison Hoffmann tossed in nine of her team-high 16 points in the final eight minutes.

She also finished with six assists, including two in the fourth.

Hoffmann’s kick-out pass to senior guard Annie Wolff for a 3-pointer with five minutes left helped turn what was once a 34-34 game into a 43-36 lead with 2:40 remaining.

“This was a huge game for us,” said Hoffmann, who is the school’s career leader in assists and is closing in on 1,600 career points. “We knew they were a great team, and we all just finished on our end of the floor.

“We played more of our game in the end. Once we started playing with our energy, our game and running our plays, I think that was the biggest difference.”

Grayslake Central coach Steve Ikenn wouldn’t expect anything less from his superstar.

“She’s an outstanding player,” Ikenn said. “When crunch time comes, she’s that veteran presence that in the end ... just get her the ball.”

Marian trailed by as many as seven points in the first half, but started to chip away at Grayslake Central’s lead in the third quarter. Huff banked in her first of three 3s to make the score 28-26 with 3:50 to go in the third.

Marian got the tying score in the final minute of the quarter with senior point guard Abbey Miner putting back her own missed shot.

The teams entered the final quarter tied at 30-30, and Huff scored tying buckets at 32-32 and 34-34. Hoffmann then made her only 3-pointer of the game for a 37-34 lead, and the Rams led the rest of the way.

Huff said her instincts just took over in the fourth quarter.

“I just wanted to get the game, I wanted to get the win,” said Huff, who earlier this year set the program single-game record with 34 points. “I knew what I had to do. We’ve had a rough couple of games but we’ve amped it up in practice to push each other to be the best players on and off the court.

“I think that really showed today. We really brought it today. Every single one of us pushed.”

Brown said the team continues to show fight, it just needs to finish better. He said Miner’s 14-point, six-steal effort was a huge boost. Earlier this year, Miner set the team record with 12 assists in a game.

“This team’s reslient and they never give up,” Brown said. “The effort is always there. It’s just execution down the stretch and taking care of the basketball. They pressured us a lot. I thought Abbey handled herself well. It’s hard to set up offense when they’re pressuring us at the half-court and quarter-court, but she got us into our sets.”

All of the Rams’ scoring came from their starters. Wolff scored 13 points, including seven in the fourth quarter, Katie Marcelain chipped in 11 points, Peyton Hoffmann had 10 and Mosey Drevline had three.

For Marian, Kaitlyn Remke had six points, all in the third quarter, and Adriana Wrzos finished with four steals and four assists.

Madison Hoffmann said the Rams are looking for a big finish after last year’s Class 3A sectional championship. Grayslake Central returned its entire starting lineup.

“We’re just hoping to stay healthy and successful, make a postseason run and make some history,” she said. “I’m really confident with this team, and I’m really proud of how we’ve come together.”