Late defensive stand leads Marion past Mt. Vernon

Sophomore Makhi House scores 23 points to help Wildcats secure win in regular season finale

Published on Feb. 23, 2026

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The Marion Wildcats secured a 44-42 win over Mt. Vernon in their regular season finale, thanks to a big night from sophomore Makhi House who scored 23 points. The Wildcats held on in the final seconds, not allowing Mt. Vernon junior David Barnes, who scored a game-high 26 points, to touch the ball as the Rams' potential game-tying shot fell short.

Why it matters

The win gives Marion momentum heading into the postseason, where they will be the 4th seed at the Mascoutah 3A Regional. Mt. Vernon, who finished the regular season 21-8 and 5-3 in conference play, will look to bounce back in the Centralia 3A Regional.

The details

Marion sophomore Makhi House scored 23 points to lead the Wildcats to the 44-42 win over Mt. Vernon. Mt. Vernon junior David Barnes had a monster night, scoring a game-high 26 points, but the Wildcats' defense stepped up in the final seconds, not allowing Barnes to touch the ball as the Rams' potential game-tying shot fell short.

  • The game was played on February 22, 2026.

The players

Makhi House

A sophomore player for the Marion Wildcats who scored 23 points in the win.

David Barnes

A junior player for the Mt. Vernon Rams who scored a game-high 26 points in the loss.

Sam Adkins

A Marion Wildcats player who grabbed the rebound and dribbled out the clock in the final seconds to secure the win.

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What they’re saying

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident (San Francisco Chronicle)

What’s next

The Marion Wildcats will be the 4th seed at the Mascoutah 3A Regional and will face the 5th seeded host Indians on Wednesday night. The Mt. Vernon Rams will be at the Centralia 3A Regional, where they will face Carbondale in the 3-6 matchup on Wednesday.

The takeaway

This game highlights the importance of strong defensive play in close, high-stakes matchups. Marion's ability to lock down in the final seconds and prevent Mt. Vernon's top scorer from getting the ball proved to be the difference in the narrow victory.