Caroline Flynn was destined to play basketball at Marist.
With older sisters Morgan, Casey and Megan all going through the program, there wasn’t much of a mystery of where Caroline was going to school when she graduated from eighth grade.
“I’ve always looked up to Marist basketball,” Caroline said. “It’s always been my dream to play at Marist. From a very young age, I wanted to go to Marist and play basketball.
“It’s really cool to experience what I’ve dreamed of.”
Flynn is helping the RedHawks experience another dream season.
The junior guard scored nine points and hit a vital 3-pointer in the third quarter Wednesday night, sparking Marist to a 38-33 East Suburban Catholic Conference win over host Marian Catholic in Chicago Heights.
The RedHawks held a 27-14 lead early in the second half, but Marian scored 13 straight points to force a 27-27 tie with 2:20 left in the third quarter.
On the next possession, however, Flynn drained the 3-pointer to ignite Marist and stop the Spartans’ momentum.
“I was just thinking that we had nothing to lose,” Flynn said of taking the shot. “We needed to push the pace and be confident when we shot the ball.
“I’ll take the 3-pointer once in a while, but I’m not really a 3-point shooter.”
Lucy Cosme also picked up nine points and five rebounds for Marist (20-6, 5-4). Olivia Cosme, Lucy’s cousin, added seven points for Marist (20-6, 5-4).
Ty Jackson led Marian (10-15, 1-8) with 11 points and 10 rebounds, while Vesta Radziute and Kaili Merrick tallied seven points apiece.
The win was no work of art, but Flynn pointed out that beating Marian was huge with Friday’s rivalry game against Mother McAuley looming — and for getting back on track.
The RedHawks had a week to think about a 75-42 loss at Benet, which featured a running clock in the fourth quarter. Two days earlier, Marist had posted an impressive 59-47 win over Fremd.
“It was really important to bounce back,” Flynn said. “In the Benet game, we did not play like ourselves. The shots weren’t falling. It was really just a hard game.
“Bouncing back, we learned from our mistakes, so it was really important to get this win and get our confidence back up before this McAuley game.”
On a balanced team featuring several players with multiple skills, Flynn has been a standout.
“I don’t think she came out of the game, maybe once,” Marist coach Renee Chimino said of Flynn. “Caroline is irreplaceable. To put it simply, she does a lot for us. She can score. She can pass. She can play defense.
“That’s just on the basketball side of things. She adds so much personality-wise and aura-wise to the team. Irreplaceable is the best way I can say it.”
Lucy Cosme confirmed that aside from being able to drive and hit shots from the outside, Flynn is usually tasked with guarding the top scorer on the opposing team.
Cosme locked up the game for the RedHawks with a wide-open layup with 28 seconds remaining.
“I caught the ball and spun around and saw my coach waving her hands,” she said. “I thought, ‘Oh my God, there is no one in front of me.’”
Flynn, meanwhile, was able to watch and cheer on her sisters over the years and now they are in the stands cheering her on.
“I watched them while growing up and would be on the sidelines dribbling the ball,” she said. “They’ve always practiced with me and have been tough on me.
“But I learned from them. They helped me with my game because they experienced it. They helped me progress my game as they were learning.”
Jeff Vorva is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.