Marquette Catholic Junior Center Brody Hendricks Stands Out On Defensive Side Of Court

Jan 10, 2022 11:26 AM Jan 10, 2022 1:49 PM

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GRANITE CITY – Marquette High School boys basketball team is a competitive young team. With only one senior, underclassman and juniors are the Explorers' most valuable players on a nightly basis.

While it is easy to notice the players putting up offensive points, defensive prowess is just as important on a good team. For the Explorers, No. 20, a junior center, Brody Hendricks is a pillar of defense.

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When asking Hendricks to describe himself as a player, the talented junior said, “I try to focus on defense. I try to keep my guy in front of me, move with him, and hunt for any rebound I can”.

And when it comes to the offensive side of the ball, “I try to bring what I can. Screens, rebounds, the occasional lay-up, and just trying to contribute however I can," said Hendricks.

Visually, Hendricks appears to be a young man amongst boys. Pushing 6’2 and 180 pounds, Hendricks commands a lot of the court and makes offense difficult for opposing teams.

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Hendricks said his size and competitiveness come from his brothers.

“I would think (my strength) helps," Hendricks said. “I try to use what strength I have around the court, but I got that honestly just from my brothers – I am always trying to compete with them.”

Hendricks had two rebounds in the second half of the game to contribute to 4 of their 62 points. When asking the junior what he thought his team did well in their victory against the Warriors, Hendricks said: “we made a lot of free throws, that helped us push forward. Then in overtime and the fourth quarter, we stopped giving so many easy turnovers. We stayed together as a team, helped each other, and did not let them score.”

The score was tied 48-48 after four quarters and needed overtime to decide the game. As Hendricks mentioned, the Explorers held the Warriors to 0 points in overtime while putting up 12 points of their own.

“It feels good to get this win," he said. “Our coach kept telling us about preparing like it was a regional championship game, so we have to be ready. It was a big win for us tonight.”