Lions win MVC title
Shane Benton led his team in floor burns and hustle Friday night. And that was saying something.
Benton’s top-ranked Linn-Mar Lions used precision passing and a blue collar work ethic to break the game wide open in the second half and easily defeat Washington, 62-41, to clinch a Mississippi Valley Conference division championship at Linn-Mar.
“We just have got to go after everything,” Benton said. “I like to go after every loose ball.”
Benton scored 11 points and brought a boat load of passion and defensive intensity. At one stage in the third quarter he dove for a ball near the baseline, which brought the entire Linn-Mar bench to its feet.
Benton also had several strong moves inside and was a perfect 6-for-6 from the foul line. He said the team enjoys playing together.
“It is just so much fun. I feel really good about this team. We have a great group of seniors and a lot of good juniors. It is a special group of guys,” the 6-foot-3 senior said.
A University of North Dakota recruit, Benton had the assignment of guarding Warrior star Josh Oglesby.
“He kind of reminds me of Reggie Miller,” Benton said. “With that high release, he is tough.”
Oglesby finished with 21 points, but had to earn every basket. He started off hot, scoring 13 of his team’s first 14 points, but had only eight points over the final 16 minutes of play. He hit 8-for-18 shots from the floor and 2-of-3 free throws.
Linn-Mar led 24-14 at the half and 49-29 after three quarters. The Lions roared past Washington by outscoring the visitors 40-20 in the second and third frames and led by as many as 25 points in the fourth quarter. Only four Washington players hit the scoring column.
Linn-Mar moved to 19-0 (14-0 MVC) while Washington dipped to 11-8 overall. The Warriors have played a brutal schedule and are 2-7 against ranked teams, with several close losses.
Last Updated on Saturday, 12 February 2011 01:21
