For three years, Elle Williams and Imani Guy battled in the post during practices for one of the state’s best high school girls basketball programs.
Now, the Columbus North graduates are doing the same for one of the nation’s top NAIA women’s basketball programs.
Together, Williams and Guy have helped Marian University to an 18-2 record and a No. 4 national ranking. But they’ve done it in different ways.
"It’s been great," Williams said. "Coming from Columbus North, we came from a very disciplined program. (Marian) Coach (Katie Gearlds) is a very good coach, so it was an easy transition."
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Williams and Guy certainly aren’t used to losing. During their three years together at North, the Bull Dogs went 78-6, winning a Class 4A state title in 2015 and finishing as state runner-up the next year.
After Williams graduated in 2016, she headed west to Academy of Art in San Francisco. When she returned home the next summer, she visited Marian and decided to transfer there.
Guy, who helped North to another final four appearance as a senior in 2017, headed to University of Southern Indiana. She played there for two seasons before joining Williams at Marian.
"Leaving USI, I wanted a school that was successful, and Marian had back-to-back national championships (in 2016 and 2017), and distance was a big factor," Guy said. "It’s a different style of play from when I was at USI. We like to run the floor at lot more here. We have a lot more players that are able to create their own shot."
Williams started off an on her first two years at Marian and was a starter at the beginning of this season. But when Guy, who had to sit out the first semester because of the transfer became eligible, she took over the starting center spot.
"It’s not that (Williams) stopped being great," Gearlds said. "She’s still doing exactly what we needs to be doing. (Guy) just gives us size, which is something I haven’t had a lot of before," Gearlds said. "You have to game plan for her. We’ve had size, but all of our size has been perimiter players. She’s scored well and rebounded well, but I don’t think we’ve hit our stride with her on both ends of the court."
In the six games she has played, the 6-foot-4 Guy is leading the Knights with 16.2 points, 8.7 rebounds and 3.0 blocks per game.
"We still don’t think she’s reached her full potential," Gearlds said. "If she’s willing to put in the work every day, we don’t think she’s scratched the surface of how good she can be."
Guy said it was difficult having to sit out the first semester.
"That was really tough coming to a new school and not being able to play," Guy said. "My teammates and my coaches always lifted my spirits. I came to this program knowing they’ve been a winning program as long as Katie Gearlds has been here. The competitiveness throughout practice is a big thing that keeps us going. We push each other a lot during practice. That’s been something that’s been going on a lot since Day 1."
Williams said Marian got better because of Guy’s presence in practice.
"While Imani was there and practicing, I know it was difficult for her to keep focused, but she was a great teammate to all of us, and she was very encouraging and positive," Williams said. "We’ve had a lot of great players come through Marian. Since Imani got here, she’s a really tough matchup inside, and she opens the floor up for a lot of other players. Her coming here was a lot easier for me, because we know each other."
Meanwhile, Williams is averaging 5.3 points and 5.0 rebounds. But Gearlds said Williams does all the little things that don’t show up on the stat sheet.
"Elle has been great for us the last three years, but so much more this year than we could have really expected," Gearlds said. "She is the heartbeat of our team. She’s not going to score a ton of points, she’s not going to rebound a lot, but she does whatever the team needs, whether that is playing defense or setting screens. I never have to worry about her leadership. We go as far as her energy takes us."
Williams is on track to graduate in December with a degree in Dietetics. Guy, who will have another year of eligibility remaining, is majoring in communications, with a concentration in public relations.
Their goal this year is to reclaim the national championship.
"Coach has really high expectations for us," Williams said. "We have a winning mentality every day in practice, so we come ready to compete with that being the end goal."
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Name: Imani Guy
High school: Columbus North
College: Marian
Year: Junior
Height: 6-foot-4
Position: Center
Key stats: Leads Knights with 16.2 points, 8.7 rebounds and 3.0 blocks per game
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Name: Elle Williams
High school: Columbus North
College: Marian
Year: Senior
Height: 6-foot-0
Position: Forward/center
Key stats: Averaging 5.3 points and 5.0 rebounds per game
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