GRANITE CITY – Marquette High School boys basketball team is a competitive young team. With only one senior, underclassman and juniors are the Explorers' most valuable players on a nightly basis.
While it is easy to notice the players putting up offensive points, defensive prowess is just as important on a good team. For the Explorers, No. 20, a junior center, Brody Hendricks is a pillar of defense.
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When asking Hendricks to describe himself as a player, the talented junior said, “I try to focus on defense. I try to keep my guy in front of me, move with him, and hunt for any rebound I can”.
And when it comes to the offensive side of the ball, “I try to bring what I can. Screens, rebounds, the occasional lay-up, and just trying to contribute however I can," said Hendricks.
Visually, Hendricks appears to be a young man amongst boys. Pushing 6’2 and 180 pounds, Hendricks commands a lot of the court and makes offense difficult for opposing teams.
Hendricks said his size and competitiveness come from his brothers.
“I would think (my strength) helps," Hendricks said. “I try to use what strength I have around the court, but I got that honestly just from my brothers – I am always trying to compete with them.”
Hendricks had two rebounds in the second half of the game to contribute to 4 of their 62 points. When asking the junior what he thought his team did well in their victory against the Warriors, Hendricks said: “we made a lot of free throws, that helped us push forward. Then in overtime and the fourth quarter, we stopped giving so many easy turnovers. We stayed together as a team, helped each other, and did not let them score.”
The score was tied 48-48 after four quarters and needed overtime to decide the game. As Hendricks mentioned, the Explorers held the Warriors to 0 points in overtime while putting up 12 points of their own.
“It feels good to get this win," he said. “Our coach kept telling us about preparing like it was a regional championship game, so we have to be ready. It was a big win for us tonight.”
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