Joe Rhoades scored 28 points for Marion Center (17-6) to help the Stingers pull away from a game Bellwood-Antis (11-14) team which came into the District VI playoffs trying to prove they belonged.
Marion Center took a 14-2 lead to begin the game, and it appeared the highly favored Stingers would cruise to an easy win, but Bellwood-Antis, a team with a roster of only 10 players with only one senior, would not give in so easily.
The Blue Devils took off on a 7-2 run which brought the score to 16-9, and pulled within three before Caleb Griffith made two free throws just before halftime to stretch Marion Center\’s lead to 26-21.
“You have to give the credit to the kids, they hung in there, the coaches hung in there, and we just told them they have to step up and believe in themselves, and I think once we got a couple baskets, and we got a couple things going our direction, the game started to even out a little bit,” Bellwood-Antis Head Coach Tim Keech said.
The Blue Devil\’s rally was fueled by sophomore point guard Ben Hatch, who scored a team high 17 points. Hatch scored seven points in the first half and made a 3-pointer with 3:40 to go in the third quarter and the score tied at 28 to give Bellwood-Antis their first lead of the game.
Bellwood-Antis held the lead for a little over a minute before Rhoades completed the first of two three-point plays in the quarter to put Marion Center ahead 33-31.
After Rhoades added a free throw, Hatch drilled another jump shot to bring the Blue Devils within one, but Rhoades\’ second three-point play in less than three minutes gave the Stingers a 37-33 lead heading into the final quarter.
Rhoades and Hatch continued to duel as the fourth quarter began. Rhoades began the scoring with a jump shot, but Hatch followed with a 3-pointer and a jump shot to bring Bellwood-Antis within one once again.
“I just really thought Ben played like an upperclassman tonight,” Keech said. “I mean I know he\’s only in 10th grade, and he\’s only played in 24 games, but as a sophomore and as a point guard controlling this team, getting the ball to the right people, and stepping up and making big shots, he played a heck of a game.”
However on this night it would be the senior, Rhoades, who would win out in the end. Rhoades stole Hatch\’s pass for a layup and added another on the next possession to make the score 43-38.
“We have been in a lot of games like this, so our kids were aware of the situation, and I really think our kids responded,” Marion Center Head Coach Steve Woodrow said. “Joey Rhoades had a great game; I mean he kind of willed us into that lead, and he\’s tall and lanky, and the thing I really like about him is that he never quits on the ball. He is constantly up at the rim fighting battles, but there\’s not a kid who never gives up on the ball like Joe.”
A layup from Blaze Winterstein brought Bellwood-Antis back within three points, but a quick 5-0 Marion Center run left Bellwood-Antis behind 48-40 with less than two minutes to play.
With 1:27 remaining, Alan Wertz made a 3-pointer, and Rhoades made only one of two from the free throw line. Paul Christner cut the Stingers\’ lead to four by draining two from the charity stripe with under a minute to go, but an apparent Marion Center travel was not called on a Stingers\’ possession which ended with a Chad Martin layup to make the score 51-45.
After four Marion Center free throws, Winterstein made his second 3-pointer of the night with eight second remaining, but it was too little too late as Rhoades capped off the 57-48 Marion Center victory with a dunk as time expired.
The Stingers advance to take on Westmont in the second round of the District VI playoffs, but before moving on, Woodrow had nothing but good things to say about the Blue Devils.
“I think Tim is doing a great job with that team,” Woodrow said. “They are all young, and I really don\’t want to see them next year. Hopefully we won\’t be in the same bracket.”
Despite losing, Keech feels his team can take something away from the playoff experience.
“I told the kids after the game that I thought they played their hearts out,” Keech said. “I told them not to forget this game; I said I want you to remember this feeling, and I want you to come back next year ready to go.”
The Blue Devils finish the season 11-14, but will return each of their players except lone senior L.J. Seidel for the 2006-2007 campaign.
Bellwood-Antis 48 Marion Center 57
BELLWOOD-ANTIS – Hatch 6 2-2 17, Winterstein 5 2-4 14, Christner 1 2-2 5, Seidel 0 0-0 0, Wertz 4 0-0 9, Elvey 0 3-4 3, McCrum 0 0-0 0, Miller 0 0-0 0. TOTALS 16 9-12 48.
MARION CENTER – Rhoades 12 4-8 28, Himes 1 4-6 6, Kowchuck 0 0-0 0, C. Martin 4 2-3 11, Griffith 3 6-6 12, Phillips 0 0-2 0, Hill 0 0-0 0, G. Martin 0 0-0 0. TOTALS 20 16-25 57.
Score by Quarters
Bellwood-Antis 9 12 12 15 – 48
Marion Center 18 8 11 20 – 57
Three-point goals: Bellwood-Antis 7 (Hatch 3, Winterstein 2, Christner, Wertz). Marion Center 1 (C. Martin).
