Staff writer
The Marion High School basketball team started its game Friday against Bennington on a 10-0 run. While the Warriors allowed Bennington to answer with a 7-point run and bring the score within 3 with 2 minutes, 57 seconds left in the game, Marion led the entire way and held on for a 51-43 victory.
After opening the game with back-to-back double digit scoring quarters, the Warriors started to lose control of the game in the third quarter. They struggled to score, posting an 8-point quarter.
That is when Marion’s two players for the night, Jordan Hett and Jordan Versch, stepped up to keep the Warriors ahead.
Hett provided the scoring. Although six Warriors scored in the game, Hett sank many of the baskets in the final two frames. He put together an offensive barrage that used all the weapons in his arsenal. He scored on driving layups and on midrange jump shots around the key. As in high-scoring performances in the Centre Invitational Tournament, Hett’s floaters over post defenders were falling for points.
Hett ended the game with 26 points.
“He can do that,” coach Jeff McMillin said of Hett’s scoring night. “We talk about being aggressive. Getting that little floater to fall is big.”
Although Versch was a complete-game difference-maker for the Warriors on Friday — 12 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 blocks, and 5 steals — the senior guard’s presence at the defensive end of the floor changed the momentum of the game.
Versch’s 3 blocks all came in the second half. On the first return-to-sender effort, Bennington’s Zach Fief thought he had an easy fast-break layup. As Fief was starting to leap off his right foot to lay the ball in with his left hand, Versch caught him from behind, timed his jump to meet Fief at the backboard, and blocked the ball clean with his left hand.
Versch also blocked two jump shots including a 3-pointer. McMillin said Versch has asked his coach about trying to block more shots. The Marion play caller asked his guard to stay on the ground to contest jump shots.
Versch’s aggressive play only backfired once when he fouled a Bennington 3-point shooter with 3 seconds left in the third quarter. Before he even sat down on the bench, McMillin said Versch made a point of apologizing to his coach before McMillin even had a chance for the reprimand.
“He thinks he’s a shot blocker now,” McMillin said. “He just has good instincts.”
Another change for the Warriors was a realization that Bennington was playing a 2-3 zone in the second half. McMillin said Bennington disguised the zone well by playing aggressive pressure and then backing up in alternating possessions. Led by Hett, the Warriors relaxed to submit a 17-point fourth quarter to end the game.
The Warriors shot 47.8 percent from the floor for the game, scoring 26 points off 26 Bennington turnovers.
“These kids have always given their best,” McMillin said. “This was a reward for working hard every day in practice. We have a chance to end the season on a good note.”