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February 28, 2024
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The Marriotts Ridge boys basketball team progressed to the regional semifinals by defeating Glenelg with a final score of 43-39.

Glenelg’s determined defense once again helped them make a comeback. Paul Piwowarski successfully made a long-range 3-pointer, narrowing the gap for the Gladiators. Despite this, they still struggled to score the go-ahead basket.

During the first half of the Class 3A South Region I Boys basketball quarterfinal playoff game between Marriotts Ridge and Glenelg, Restia Whitaker makes a shot in the paint. The play was captured in a photo by Jeffrey F. Bill for Marriotts Ridge #12.

In the first half of the Class 3A South Region I Boys basketball quarterfinal playoff game between Marriotts Ridge and Glenelg, Glenelg’s #11 player, Ty Jenkins, scored a layup. This photo, taken by Jeffrey F. Bill, shows the action.

The players G identified are Christian Chen with 15 points, Will Piwowarski with 8 points, Michael Tolle, Paul Piwowarski with 5 points, Ty Jenkins with 2 points, and Joey McCann with 2 points.

In the first half of the Class 3A South Region I Boys basketball quarterfinal playoff game between Marriotts Ridge and Glenelg, Aidan Houck made a layup, wearing #22. This was captured by Jeffrey F. Bill in a staff photo.

Bender acknowledged that his free-throw percentage may not be the best, but he recognized the importance of making those shots to secure their spot in the next game. He was thrilled to finally sink some free throws and his team was equally excited about it.

In the Class 3A South Region I Boys basketball quarterfinal playoff game between Glenelg and Marriotts Ridge, player Paul Piwowarski, wearing jersey number 3, skillfully evaded the opposing team’s defense and attempted a jump shot from within the paint. A photo taken by Jeffrey F. Bill, a member of the staff, captures this moment.Marriotts Ridge — 8 12 15 8 — 43

During a crucial evening, Bender’s performance played a significant role as every point carried weight. Despite multiple desperate 3-point attempts by Glenelg, the Mustangs managed to secure a 43-39 victory. Moving on, the fourth-seeded Mustangs will compete against top seed Northeast-AA in the semifinals of the Class 3A South Region I on Thursday.

In the first half of the Class 3A South Region I Boys basketball quarterfinal playoff game between Marriotts Ridge and Glenelg, Restia Whitaker from Marriotts Ridge #12 successfully retrieved an offensive rebound. This moment was captured by Jeffrey F. Bill, a staff photographer.

In the first half of the 3A South Region I boys basketball quarterfinal playoff game between Marriotts Ridge and Glenelg, player #0 Jack Bonner successfully grabs a rebound. This moment was captured by photographer Jeffrey F. Bill and is shown in the attached photo.
“I have contemplated this a great deal,” stated senior Aidan Houck. “Even in the second game, I held onto the belief that they couldn’t defeat us twice. However, I acknowledge that we were the superior team throughout and it was evident in our performance on the grand stage of the playoffs.”
In the first half of the Class 3A South Region I Boys basketball quarterfinal playoff game between Marriotts Ridge and Glenelg, Aaron Hammann made a pull-up jump shot. The photo, taken by Jeffrey F. Bill, shows Hammann representing Marriotts Ridge as #5.
Jack Bonner from Marriotts Ridge scored a 3-point shot in the first half of the Class 3A South Region I Boys basketball quarterfinal playoff game against Glenelg. This moment was captured in a photo by Jeffrey F. Bill for the staff.
However, Glenelg did not give up, as Chen responded with a three-point shot and the Gladiators stayed within one possession until the end of the game. Ultimately, a mix of crucial free-throws and solid defense on the perimeter sealed the deal for a well-earned playoff win.
The basketball coach for Glenelg’s boys varsity team is Alex Blazek. The quarterfinal playoff game for the 3A South Region I Boys basketballl was between Marriot Ridge and Glenelg. (Photo credit: Jeffrey F. Bill/Staff)
In the first half of the Class 3A South Region I quarterfinal playoff game, Glenelg’s player with jersey number 1, Will Piwowarski, grabs an offensive rebound. This moment was captured in a photograph by Jeffrey F. Bill, a staff member, during the game between Marriotts Ridge and Glenelg.
Playoffs always bring a heightened intensity, but the Mustangs (12-11) entered the regional quarterfinal with added motivation as Glenelg won both regular-season meetings.
Glenelg coach Alex Blazek praised Marriotts Ridge for preventing the team from gaining the advantage. Blazek recognized their strong defensive play and credited their well-coached team. He observed their effective defense during crucial moments and acknowledged their great effort. Blazek also acknowledged that Glenelg executed well, but Marriotts Ridge was able to match their level of play.
Both teams had a two-week break before the game. It was clear from the start that they were still getting back into the swing of things, as both offenses had difficulty finding a rhythm. Marriotts Ridge was ahead 8-4 at the end of the first quarter.
During the first half of the Marriotts Ridge vs Glenelg Class 3A South Region I Boys basketball quarterfinal playoff game, Marriotts Ridge player #11, Brendan Kim, made a drive towards the basket. Glenelg player #13, Joey McCann, was called for a non-shooting blocking foul. Photo by Jeffrey F. Bill shows the action on the court.
In the third quarter, Glenelg (7-14) made a comeback by scoring three-pointers. Christian Chen and Will Piwowarski both made successful 3-point shots, bringing Glenelg within two points of the opponent.
Devin Bender, a senior guard from Marriotts Ridge, approached the free-throw line during a crucial point in the game.
The Gladiators stayed close in the game until the last minute of the third quarter. At that point, Restia Whitaker and Bender made consecutive layups, giving the Mustangs a boost and a five-point advantage heading into the final quarter.
Glenelg — 4 12 14 9 — 39
In the Class 3A South Region I Boys basketball quarterfinal playoff game between Marriotts Ridge and Glenelg, Glenelg #5, Christian Chen, scores a three-pointer in the first half. (Photo by Jeffrey F. Bill/Staff)
In the 1st half of the Class 3A South Region I Boys basketball quarterfinal playoff game between Marriotts Ridge and Glenelg, #11 Glenelg (played by Ty Jenkins) scored a layup. (Photo by Jeffrey F. Bill/Staff)
In the first half of the Class 3A South Region I Boys basketball quarterfinal playoff game between Marriotts Ridge and Glenelg, Glenelg’s Joey McCann made a pull-up jump shot, wearing #13. This moment was captured by a photo taken by Jeffrey F. Bill from the staff.
In the first half of the Class 3A South Region I Boys basketball quarterfinal playoff game between Marriotts Ridge and Glenelg, Glenelg’s #3 player, Paul Piwowarski, scored a jump shot while pulling up. This moment was captured by Jeffrey F. Bill in a photo.
Seth Willingham is the basketball coach for the boys’ varsity team at Marriotts Ridge High School. The Marriotts Ridge team played against Glenelg High School in the Class 3A South Region I quarterfinal playoff game for boys’ basketball. (Photo by Jeffrey F. Bill/Staff)
In the first half of the Class 3A South Region I Boys basketball quarterfinal playoff game between Marriotts Ridge and Glenelg, #22 Aidan Houck of Marriotts Ridge scored with a layup. The photo was taken by Jeffrey F. Bill/Staff.

Just a few moments later, Aidan Houck and Jack Bonner increased Marriotts Ridge’s advantage by six points with less than four minutes left in the game.

“I emphasized the importance of perseverance to my team,” stated Seth Willingham, coach of Marriotts Ridge. “I believed that our success would come from our defensive efforts, and that was evident through our ability to score points in transition and secure rebounds. This was ultimately where we found success. However, we still need to work on our offensive performance by improving our movement and passing, as well as converting our shots if we want to have a chance in our upcoming game. In the playoffs, anything can happen, so we will definitely prepare for it and give it our all.”

Alex Blazek, the coach of the Glenelg boys’ varsity basketball team, facing off against Marriotts Ridge in the Boys’ Class 3A South Region I quarterfinal playoff game. (Photo credit: Jeffrey F. Bill/Staff)

#5 Aaron Hammann from Mariotts Ridge makes a drive to the basket during the first half of the Class 3A South Region I Boys basketball quarterfinal playoff game against Glenelg. In the process, he is fouled by #13 Joey McCann from Glenelg. (Photo by Jeffrey F. Bill/Staff)

But in the second half, every time an offense opened up, the Mustangs utilized their defense to transition into scoring opportunities. They went on a 10-point run to secure a double-digit lead, but Glenelg fought back with five consecutive points to decrease the margin. From then on, the Mustangs’ lead never exceeded six points.

The following individuals performed in the MR category: Jack Bonner with a score of 12, Aidan Houck with a score of 8, Brendan Kim with a score of 8, Restia Whitaker with a score of 8, and Devin Bender with a score of 7.

The coach of Marriotts Ridge’s boys varsity basketball team is Seth Willingham. The game between Marriotts Ridge and Glenelg in the Class 3A South Region I Boys quarterfinal playoffs was captured by staff photographer Jeffrey F. Bill.
As the crowd of Glenelg supporters cheered “Devin,” he could only think, “I have to make these shots or our season is over.” Despite missing the previous season due to a knee injury, Bender confidently sank both crucial free throws, extending the Mustangs’ lead to four points with only 21.4 seconds left.

In the 1st half of the quarterfinal playoff game for Class 3A South Region I Boys basketball, #22 Aidan Houck from Marriotts Ridge drives to the hoop, but no foul is called. The game is against Glenelg and the photo is taken by Jeffrey F. Bill.

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