Xavier's Lilly gets his 500th win

CEDAR RAPIDS — Back in 1980, Tom Lilly helped out with a 6-on-6 seventh-grade team at St. Matthew's School in Cedar Rapids. Or maybe the year was 1981, he doesn't remember exactly.

'My alma mater, by the way,' Lilly said. 'I'm very proud of it.'

That began a long and sometimes crazy career as a girls' basketball coach. Throw 'successful' in there, too, of course.

You can't talk about Tom Lilly without using the word 'successful.' The guy has won four state championships, and Tuesday night his 500th career game as Cedar Rapids Xavier brushed past Davenport Assumption, 57-47, at Ron Thillen Gymnasium.

'It's an honor to be part of it,' said Xavier senior McKenna Andersen, whose 20 points and 14 rebounds went a long way toward getting Lilly his milestone. 'There were so many people in year's past that paved the path for us. It wasn't just our team. Think of all the girls that helped him get to (this). It's special.'

The Xavier team presented Lilly with an autographed pink basketball in a postgame ceremony, and Saints Activities Director Mike Winker gave him an honorary plaque. Lilly thanked his wife, Sissy, and their two sons for all of their support over the years.

'I couldn't be more proud to be a basketball player here than in that moment,' Andersen said.

Lilly mentioned a letter he recently received from Cedar Rapids Washington Coach Frank Howell that touched him.

'He basically said that 500 is quite a club and not many people reach it,' Lilly said. 'Frank and I go back a long time. He said 'Hey, if no one tells you tonight, you whisper to yourself that you're a helluva coach.' I told Frank I'd remember that if we were fortunate enough to get the win.'

Lilly is 500-221 in 31 seasons at Cedar Rapids Regis and Xavier. In 18 seasons with the Saints, he has a 312-119 mark.

Interestingly, he doesn't recall his very first victory. Not even the opponent.

'I remember the kids, but I don't remember the game,' he said. 'It's in the scrapbook somewhere, but, right now, this is the sweetest win at this moment in time.'

Xavier (4-5) burst to a 29-17 halftime lead and extended that edge to 44-28 after three quarters. Assumption (3-6) did get within seven down the stretch but ran out of time and comeback.

'I asked my assistant (Stephanie Potts) 'Well, can you lose a 10-point lead in 12 seconds?'' Lilly said. 'She said 'I don't think so.' So I said 'OK, then I'll relax a little bit.''

AT C.R. XAVIER

DAVENPORT ASSUMPTION (47): Synclaire Lunardi 5-6 0-0 10, Belle Thrapp 2-9 3-3 7, Jasmine Harris 2-15 4-4 9, Bailey Brown 5-12 0-0 17, Liz Fennelly 0-2 0-0 0, Lauren Frank 0-1 0-0 0, Jami Hamel 0-1 0-0 0, Sarah Adams 1-6 0-0 3, Elizabeth Bush 0-6 1-2 1. Totals 16-58 8-9 47.

C.R. XAVIER (57): Meghan Joens 4-10 4-7 12, Amelea Ivester 2-6 0-0 4, McKenna Andersen 5-12 8-10 20, Lexi Noonan 3-5 3-6 9, Jenny Dickes 1-3 0-4 2, Kylie Brown 1-1 2-2 4, Kiana Stanek 2-4 0-0 6, Maria Steffen 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 18-41 17-29 47.

Halftime — Xavier 29, Assumption 17. 3-point goals — Assumption 7-23 (Thrapp 0-2, Harris 1-7, Brown 4-9, Adams 1-3, Bush 0-2), Xavier 4-9 (Andersen 2-4, Dickes 0-1, Stanek 2-4). Rebounds — Assumption 35 (Thrapp 8), Xavier 37 (Andersen 14). Total fouls — Assumption 23, Xavier 13. Fouled out — Lunardi, Thrapp. Turnovers — Assumption 10, Xavier 12.

l Comments: (319) 398-8259; jeff.johnson@thegazette.com