The Dexter Leader
A Heritage Newspaper
Weekly Publication
Benjamin scoring spurt keys Dexter win
By Don Richter, Sports Editor
PUBLISHED: February 15, 2007
Dexter's boys' basketball team defeated visiting Southeastern Conference foe Saline 50-46 last Friday.
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Senior guard Johnny Benjamin (6-foot-4) single-handedly helped bring the victory home scoring all 14 of the Dreadnaughts' points in the fourth quarter. Benjamin finished with a season high 23 points and five assists.
"He drove to the basket early in the fourth (quarter) and he got confidence," said Dexter coach Randy Swoverland. "Then he started stroking his jump shot. We needed every one of them."
Dexter (11-4, 7-2 SEC), whose only loss in the past seven games has been to unbeaten rival Chelsea (ranked No. 2 in Class B), trailed 10-5 after the first quarter against the Hornets.
"We started out cold shooting the ball in the first quarter," Swoverland said. "They were able to take the lead. Mike Adler's (6-1 Saline senior guard) dribble drive was giving us problems. Also the inside play of Kyle Larsen (6-3 junior forward) hurt us."
In the second quarter, the Dreadnaughts regrouped, outscoring Saline 17-9 taking a 22-19 lead into halftime.
In the third quarter, the Hornets outscored Dexter 16-14 trimming the Dreads' lead to 36-35 heading into the fourth frame.
In the fourth quarter, Saline had no answer for Benjamin. Behind the Dexter sharpshooter the Dreadnaughts outscored the Hornets 14-11 for the night's final margin.
"Johnny got hot at the end of the game," Swoverland said. "He made a big three and a two to salt the game away. It was a close, hard-fought game."
Besides Benjamin, senior forward James Nati (6-3) finished with 11 points, while junior guard T.J. Fenske and senior forward Rob Kuzon (6-3, 220 pounds) each netted seven points for Dexter.
Junior center David Pisano (6-4, 210) ended up with two points and seven rebounds for the Dreadnaughts.
Larsen led Saline with 15 points.
On Feb. 6, visiting Dexter defeated Adrian 38-26 in a SEC contest.
Swoverland said the key to the Dreadnaughts' victory was containing the Maples' inside scoring.
"We did a good job of holding (Brad) Ohrman to two points," he said. "Kuzon was guarding him."
Ohrman (6-4, 225), a senior center who signed with Eastern Michigan University for football, is one of the area's most rugged and powerful inside players.
"That (lack of inside scoring) took them out of their game," Swoverland said. "We scored enough points in the second half to maintain a lead and pull out a win."
To begin the game, Dexter led 7-5 after one quarter.
At halftime, the Dreadnaughts increased their advantage to 19-8.
Entering the fourth quarter, Dexter continued leading 28-17.
In the fourth stanza, the Dreads netted 10 points, while Adrian had nine points for the ending tally.
Nati paced Dexter with 16 points and eight boards.
Benjamin added seven points, while sophomore guard Ryan Lemasters had six points.
Pisano finished with four points, while Fenske had three points and senior forward Matt Brand (6-4) two points for the Dreadnaughts.
Dexter next hosts Temperance Bedford Thursday at 7 p.m.
On Tuesday, the Dreadnaughts travel to Ann Arbor Pioneer for a game at 7 p.m.
On Feb. 23, Dexter hosts Ypsilanti Lincoln at 7 p.m.
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