​Herbert returns after five-game absence to help Eagles top Kearney

by Michael Smith
 

After a 5-game absence which landed him in the hospital for six days, sophomore guard Eli Herbert made his return.
 
The star sharpshooter was a game-time decision to play and ended up starting in Friday’s non-conference matchup with Kearney on the road.
 
He helped hold off a comeback attempt from the Bulldogs in the fourth quarter with a critical steal which led to a Grain Valley basket and he put in five points in the final eight minutes during a 66-57 victory.
 
“It was great to have him back,” Grain Valley head coach Andy Herbert said. “It was good for our camaraderie and the guys were happy to have him back. He helped us handle the pressure and got us a couple of easy baskets.”
 
And Eli was happy to be back, too.
 
“It’s just nice to be out there,” Eli Herbert said. “It was about getting back to normalcy and being able to run up and down the court. Being able to play basketball is so much fun.”
 
Eli Herbert is an important part of the Eagles as he’s their leading scorer and a good defender. His team went into the fourth period with a 51-35 lead. Kearney then caught fire and went on a 14-2 run to cut Grain Valley’s lead to 53-49 midway through the period. During that stretch, Kearney senior Devin Hanna scored eight points, including two three pointers, one of which capped the run.
 
On the ensuing possession Grain Valley missed a shot and Kearney pushed the ball down court. Herbert then stripped a Kearney ball handler for a steal and rifled a pass to senior Logan Marcum for a fast-break layup, which pushed the lead back to six.
 
A 3-pointer from Bulldog senior guard Cameron Webster then sliced the Eagles’ lead to 55-52, but that was as close as Kearney would get the rest of the way. With 1:03 left in the game, with Kearney using a full-court press, senior Jack Schoen threw a baseball pass to Herbert on the other side of the court.
 
Hebert used head fake to deke two Bulldog defenders into contesting too early and he made a layup while being fouled. He pumped both his fists and screamed at the bench as Grain Valley went up 59-54. That seemed to help the Eagles regain momentum as that was the beginning of a 9-3 spurt that helped them put the game away.
 
During the final minute, Herbert made 3 of 4 free throws and Marcum put in a fast-break layup and made two free throws of his own.
 
“We kind of stopped playing defense,” Eli Herbert said of the fourth quarter. “Once we started to calm down and had a timeout, we did what we had done the entire game and everything worked out.”
 
Before the fourth, Grain Valley got into an early hole when Kearney began the game with an 11-0 run, sparked by eight points from Webster. Senior forward Stylz Blackmon helped the Eagles get back in it as he dominated the paint and scored eight points as his team cut the lead to 16-15 going into the second.
 
Grain Valley then took the lead early in the second period by forcing two Bulldog turnovers. Sophomore Samuel Pendergrass made a basket inside and senior guard Matthew Leonard, who had eight points, scored on a fast-break basket following a steal from junior Aaron Barr to make it 19-16.
 
Leonard, who has been a defensive specialist and hadn’t shot the ball a lot in previous games, was much more aggressive in this contest, as he attacked the basket when he had an opportunity.
 
“He had a fantastic demeanor,” Andy Herbert said of Leonard. “He was aggressive and this was the best game he’s played. He’s a team guy.”
 
Grain Valley held a 28-26 half time lead and ballooned the advantage to 51-35 at the end of the third quarter. Barr scored nine of his 11 points in the period, all on 3-pointers and Blackmon bullied Kearney’s interior defenders for 10 of his team-high 20 points.
 
“He’s such a tough matchup.” Andy Herbert said. “He stays after practice and works on some of those post moves you saw tonight. He, Eli, Raif (Graham) stayed and worked on it for a couple of hours the other day. He is starting to see the fruits of his labor.”
 
Blackmon made a left-handed baby hook early in the quarter and split a double team on the low block for a conventional 3-point play as he was fouled on a layup.
 
“I just trusted in my instincts,” Blackmon said. “Eli had me in the gym after practice the other night and we were working on strong finishes. Before, I was just moping my way up there. After practice, they had a dummy and they were hitting me with it and telling me to go through.
 
“I centered my chest and just had my elbows locked. I just went through the contact, expecting it to be there and when I went up for the layup, it was there.”

Sophomore Eli Herbert, left, made his return after missing five games when an illness and scored 10 points, while Stylz Blackmon poured in 20 as Grain Valley defeated Kearney 66-57 Friday on the road. Photo credit: Michael Smith

Grain Valley sophomore Eli Herbert dribbles the ball while commanding the attention of two Kearney defenders. Photo credit: Michael Smith