DARLINGTON - It was going to take a bit more than a broken digit to keep Jordan Hendricks from ending Black Hawk's historic season.
The Warriors battled from double-digit deficits multiple times in Saturday night's WIAA Division 4 boys basketball regional final rematch with the Zephyrs, but Hendricks delivered a dagger just over midway through the fourth quarter in Benton's 57-53 victory.
Mere seconds after Black Hawk senior Joey Hartwig gave Black Hawk its first lead since the opening minutes with an old-fashioned, gritty three-point play off a baseline helper by Tommy Butts, Hendricks snapped off his fifth and final 3-pointer of the game to reclaim a 50-48 lead.
"That's ice water in the veins right there," Benton coach Jim Blaine said. "If he doesn't hit that shot, I don't think we get out of here with a win."
Usually deadly from the free throw stripe, Zephyrs sophomore Michael Droessler missed three of four free throws and Hartwig made good on a bunny to get within one again, but Hartwig was called for a subtle bump as Hendricks scored with contact to provide the coup to complement his dagger.
Hendricks led all scorers with 20 points despite being unable to put the ball on the floor with his left hand due to a broken finger. Hartwig posted a double-double with 18 points and 12 rebounds.
Black Hawk coach Jerry Mortimer was hardly surprised that his club didn't go away facing massive deficits.
"They left it on the court and that's all you can ask them to do," Mortimer said. "I've never seen a Black Hawk team give up."
Down 45-33 late in the third quarter, the Warriors mounted a 15-2 run that was capped by the aforementioned go-ahead bucket. Hartwig also triggered the surge and swatted a Droessler zero-footer at the start of the fourth after letting him get inside position.
"He's a really good basketball player and our one goal with our pressure defense was to make him work for every shot," Blaine said.
A minute later, the Warriors broke the Zephyr press as Hartwig rocketed a pass to the block where junior Michael Place waited and made good to cut the deficit to five points at 47-42.
Black Hawk opened the contest in man-to-man but quickly moved to a 1-3-1 zone with Hartwig patrolling the baseline in the second.
"When we see man, our eyes light up," Blaine said. "Zones bring us to a halt sometimes. We practiced for theirs, but you can't duplicate the physical strength and the athletes they put out there."
The Warriors wrap up their outstanding season at 20-3, the best mark ever posted in South Wayne.
"When the hurt goes away, there's gonna be some awful great things to look back on," Mortimer said.
The Warriors battled from double-digit deficits multiple times in Saturday night's WIAA Division 4 boys basketball regional final rematch with the Zephyrs, but Hendricks delivered a dagger just over midway through the fourth quarter in Benton's 57-53 victory.
Mere seconds after Black Hawk senior Joey Hartwig gave Black Hawk its first lead since the opening minutes with an old-fashioned, gritty three-point play off a baseline helper by Tommy Butts, Hendricks snapped off his fifth and final 3-pointer of the game to reclaim a 50-48 lead.
"That's ice water in the veins right there," Benton coach Jim Blaine said. "If he doesn't hit that shot, I don't think we get out of here with a win."
Usually deadly from the free throw stripe, Zephyrs sophomore Michael Droessler missed three of four free throws and Hartwig made good on a bunny to get within one again, but Hartwig was called for a subtle bump as Hendricks scored with contact to provide the coup to complement his dagger.
Hendricks led all scorers with 20 points despite being unable to put the ball on the floor with his left hand due to a broken finger. Hartwig posted a double-double with 18 points and 12 rebounds.
Black Hawk coach Jerry Mortimer was hardly surprised that his club didn't go away facing massive deficits.
"They left it on the court and that's all you can ask them to do," Mortimer said. "I've never seen a Black Hawk team give up."
Down 45-33 late in the third quarter, the Warriors mounted a 15-2 run that was capped by the aforementioned go-ahead bucket. Hartwig also triggered the surge and swatted a Droessler zero-footer at the start of the fourth after letting him get inside position.
"He's a really good basketball player and our one goal with our pressure defense was to make him work for every shot," Blaine said.
A minute later, the Warriors broke the Zephyr press as Hartwig rocketed a pass to the block where junior Michael Place waited and made good to cut the deficit to five points at 47-42.
Black Hawk opened the contest in man-to-man but quickly moved to a 1-3-1 zone with Hartwig patrolling the baseline in the second.
"When we see man, our eyes light up," Blaine said. "Zones bring us to a halt sometimes. We practiced for theirs, but you can't duplicate the physical strength and the athletes they put out there."
The Warriors wrap up their outstanding season at 20-3, the best mark ever posted in South Wayne.
"When the hurt goes away, there's gonna be some awful great things to look back on," Mortimer said.
