Boys Basketball: Benson stands tall as Hornets stop LT
By George M. Wilcox gwilcox@pioneerlocal.com February 4, 2012 10:14PM
Lyons Township's Kenneth Smith (right) battles with Hinsdale South's Johnnie Jasper for a loose ball. | Steve Johnston~for Sun-Times Media
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Updated: March 10, 2012 8:18AM
Hinsdale South’s offense works best when it works through Brock Benson.
The 6-foot-8 senior center scored a game-high 21 points Saturday night at Lyons Township, but Benson had to play the fourth quarter and a small portion of the third quarter with four fouls. For the Hornets’ sake, Benson did not foul out. The Hornets went on to beat Lyons 58-51 in a nonconference game.
“In that situation, I should not get fouls in the first place,” Benson said. “I have to play as though I don’t have the fouls.”
Benson scored 11 points in the first half and finished with seven rebounds as the Hornets (10-10) handed the Lions their third consecutive loss after going on a six-game win streak. Hinsdale South led 32-15 at halftime by scoring the last 10 points in the first half, but LT stormed back behind eight fourth quarter points by Jarryd Heath (11 points), who made three three-pointers. Heath’s final three-pointer in the game trimmed the Hornets’ lead to 46-43 with 3:48 remaining, but the Lions could not get any closer.
“Benson is a load inside,” LT coach Tom Sloan said. “We had to extend our defense more than we wanted to. Brock Benson and Phil George are a tough duo when they get going.”
George, a senior guard, scored 19 points, but did not make a basket in the second half. With 3:09 remaining in the third quarter, George had to come out of the game when the sole of his shoe came apart during a jump shot. George returned, but never gained his shooting touch.
Kenneth Smith led LT (8-12) with 14 points while Chris O’Reilly (five rebounds) added 11 points.
The Lions scored the first 11 points in the third quarter to come within 32-26, but Johnnie Jasper’s free throw and then a Jerry Stoltz three-pointer gave the Hornets a 36-26 lead.
“When Brock got his fourth foul, that made it much more difficult with Brock on the bench,” Hinsdale South coach Vince Doran said. “When he is on the floor, we are much more effective than when he is not.”
The Hornets pulled away in the second quarter by outscoring LT 20-7. The Lions went nearly three minutes without a basket in the quarter to fall behind 22-15. After Heath’s only three-pointer in the first half, Hinsdale South went on its 10-0 run before the break.
“Thirty-two points is too much to give up in a half and 15 points is too poor of an offense,” LT coach Tom Sloan said. “They did a good job of getting the ball into Benson. In the fourth quarter, we cut into it, but when you put yourself in a position to be down 17, there is not much room for error.”
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