Despite playing a highly-competitive schedule, Gateway won 20 or more games five times under Justin Marino. (Photo/Taylor McFee)
After 169 wins, two Final Four appearances, and a trophy case full of Orange Belt Conference, district and regional championships in the Gateway High gym, girls’ basketball coach Justin Marino is stepping away from the Panthers program.
The veteran coach said he told athletics director Travis James of his decision last week and informed the News-Gazette Monday.
“During the season, I had every intention of coming back next year,” Marino said. “But as I walked off the court after the loss to (Pensacola Booker T.) Washington at this year’s Final Four, it dawned on me that I had checked off all the boxes – some multiple times – of what I wanted to accomplish as a basketball coach.
“ We won OBC, district and regional championships and made it to two Final Fours. Winning a state championship was one goal, but that’s something few achieve. We had a lot of success at Gateway and I am proud of what we accomplished.”
Taking over a program in 2018 that had won just 22 total games in the previous five seasons combined, Marino’s first-year Panthers almost reached that total, going 17-9. The 2019-20 team went 16-10 before Marino turned Gateway into a force for the next six seasons.
A 161-59 overall mark, five district titles and numerous regional appearances would follow. Despite playing a highly-competitive schedule, Gateway won 20 or more games five times under Marino.
With his daughter Alyssa as a freshman point guard starter in 2022-23, Gateway went 24-7, beat Jones in the district final and blew out River Ridge in the regional final to advance to the school’s first ever Final Four appearance. During Alyssa’s senior year, the Panthers posted a 26-4 mark. They beat a tough New Smyrna Beach team in both the district and regional finals and won three regional playoff games by an average of 28 points.
The season, and the Marino era — Alyssa concluded her high school career and will play collegiately at Embry-Riddle — ended in a Class 5A state semifinal 54-41 loss to eventual state champion Washington.
“Being able to coach my daughter and watch her earn a college scholarship was the highlight of my life,” Marino noted. “But I have two young sons (4 and 11) and frankly felt they have been getting the short end of the stick when it comes to my attention. When you consider the pre-season, regular season, playoffs, AAU basketball, summer leagues and off-season training, most people simply do not understand what a grind it is coaching a successful program. I understood it was time to step away and spend more time with the family.”
Marino earned the respect of fellow coaches, such as St. Cloud girls coach Chad Ansabaugh, a long-time opponent and rival.
“What Justin accomplished at Gateway was not only impressive, but in my opinion it was nearly impossible. At St. Cloud I had the advantage of working at a school where kids could walk to school and had a real sense of community” Ansbaugh said. “He took over a program in ruins, where parents were hesitant to allow their kids to play sports because of transportation issues. He not only won but won big. He turned Gateway girls basketball into a program that players wanted to transfer to.”
Marino added that he was not saying goodbye to Gateway or the Panthers. He will remain a teacher at the school and hopes to help out with the football program. He said he will also try putting his sports science and exercise degree to work by possibly coaching the school’s weightlifting teams.
