At South, it's a team production

By Rex Kirts

Ben Stowell and Desmond Marks carved their niche in South basketball history Saturday, together with state champion teammates Dee Davis, Spencer Turner and Joey Forney.
They joined Trae Washington and Michael Bower and Alex Forney from this team and David Blackwell and Jake Mulinix and Marcus Etnier from the 2009 state champions to prove, again, that basketball is a team game.
They proved it takes more than the usual statistical leaders to win championships, that role players and bench players are absolutely vital to success.
It's a team game, and that includes coaches, too. In this case, head coach J.R. Holmes and assistants Criss Beyers, Kyle Simpson, Aaron Parker, Doug Waltz, Heath Howington and Matt Seifers.
THE 56-42 CLASS 4A state title win over Kokomo represented a masterful artwork of offensive balance, and defensive prowess, for the Panthers, who finished the year with a 26-2 record. The scoring totals are 14 for Marks, 13 for Davis, 11 for Stowell, 10 for Turner and 6 for Joey Forney. Davis and Turner have been the main 1-2 scoring punch all season. This is the first time for Marks to lead the scoring, and it was necessary because Kokomo was pushing the Panther 3-point shooters far away from the basket, so his inside presence was needed.
Marks, as he has done most of the season, led the rebounding with eight. He simply came up big and strong all the way around. He was a man inside.
"We played as a team," Marks said. "We did all during the tournament. We came together and won some games."
Kokomo gave Marks little respect inside, concentrating its defense on the perimeter. "I had to be as aggressive as possible in order to help the team," Marks said. "Dee told me after the first possession to take it to the basket because the middle was open."
Marks, Holmes said, got the Panthers started. Prior to him hitting a couple of shots the Panthers were missing from the outside.
All year Stowell has drawn the defensive assignment on the opponents' best guard, and he has done a commendable job handling things. Against Kokomo, he latched onto 16-point scorer D.J. Balentine like a bulldog and never took his teeth out. Balentine was completely out of synch and scored just eight points, making just 3 of 14 shots.
HOLMES SAID probably the biggest key to victory was Stowell's defense on Balentine, along with Marks' getting the Panthers started offensively." We wanted to deny Balentine completely and make the other guys shoot it," Holmes said.
Instead of focusing on himself, Stowell labeled it a team win. "I can't take credit for the win," Stowell said. "We've been playing together since the second grade or before. You couldn't ask for a better group of guys to be with."
But you did do OK on defense, didn't you, Ben? "I did a pretty good job of denying him the ball. I think I got into his head and got frustrated."
And, Stowell added of winning the state championship, "This is one of the coolest things I'll ever do."
Not just Stowell individually but South's defense from a team standpoint was well planned and executed, too. Kokomo hit just .293 overall and made only 1 of 16 3-point shots. South had trouble with Kokomo's defense, also, hitting .429, but the Panthers made 15 of 20 free throws to partially offset the troubles hitting from out.
All week long the Panthers practiced its blocking out on rebounding, but they couldn't contain the quick-jumping Wildkats the first half and ended up being out-rebounded, 36-30, for the game.
Rebounding was about all Kokomo could do right offensively in the first half, however. South led 22-18 at halftime, and nearly all Kokomo's points came on offensive rebounds.
Holmes saw too many wild shots at the start and too much board dominance by Kokomo early.
THE PANTHERS REGROUPED the second half, however, but by game's end Holmes said he "was glad to get the game over." The feeling was no doubt enhanced by South being on top.
Davis is the straw that stirs the drink for South, and he showed some typically brilliant moves against Kokomo. He had some trouble hitting the basket in the first half, but he picked it up and was available for hero work at crunch time.
"I had too much energy the first half. I was more relaxed in the second half. I hit the 3 to start the second half, and that started me off. I was ready," Davis said. "But it was a team effort.
" Asked how this title compared to the one in 2009, Davis said, "This year is my senior class. Des did a terrific job, and Stowell has been waiting for this his whole life. Ben has been waiting on this all week. He locked Balentine up."
Davis finished as the third-leading scorer in Monroe County boys' history with 1,582 points.
Turner, who concluded his high school career with 1,234 points, capped his evening by winning the Trester award, which is the prestigious award given by the IHSAA for mental attitude, grades and citizenship.
"Unbelievable," Turner said of it all. "These are the greatest kids and the best coaching staff in the state. I'm just honored."
Turner said the key to winning was South's overall defense and Stowell shutting down Balentine.
TURNER HIT a couple of 3s in the first half, and Davis, Forney and Stowell knocked down big 3s in the second half. "It was tough because their defense was so tight on us," Turner said.
Forney, as always, battled hard inside and found it tough to get much done there. "It was a rough night for me," Forney said. "After I realized I wasn't getting the calls I wanted I kicked it back out."
The 3 Forney swished in the second half was a welcome one. "I had a good feeling on the 3 when it left my hand," he said.
The Panthers won because "we had a will to win," Forney said. "We've been playing together so long and wanted it. We wanted it more than the other team."
The victory validates the success of the program under the 29-year leadership of Holmes. The Panthers have the best winning percentage in the state the last 17 years, and their 94-5 record of the past four years qualifies South for dynasty consideration.
"I don't think that's ever been done before," Holmes said of 94-5. "And two state championships."