Coming off its first loss of the season to Grinnell on Tuesday, the Solon boys basketball team was looking to get back in the win column Friday.
Benton stood in the way of that goal.
The Spartans had defeated the Bobcats in each of their last four matchups by 14 points or more, dating back to January 2021. Ultimately, this season’s iteration of the Class 3A showdown was no different.
The Spartans earned a 66-46 win over Benton (0-5) to improve to 3-1 on the season.
"Our offense, we were pretty patient, that's pretty much what we did all night," said Solon guard Isaiah Zoske. "The last three games we haven't really been that patient and as we started to get in the flow of the game, that's where we started to thrive."
The Spartans had three players score in double digits. Zoske led the way with a season-high 22 points.
Here are three takeaways from Solon’s win over Benton.
Count on Isaiah Zoske to make plays for Solon
Both teams traded baskets that kept the game close for the majority of the first half. With 1:15 left before halftime, Tanner Heims drained a 3-pointer that gave the Spartans a 29-24 advantage. It was the last field goal that the Spartans converted as both teams went scoreless in the final 75 seconds.
Solon’s leading scorer on the season Caleb Bock – who entered Friday’s game averaging 16 points per game – was held scoreless in the first half. Zoske, who opened the game with six straight points, had dropped nine points by halftime.
Benton opened the third quarter with a basket, but back-to-back 3-pointers by Zoske and senior guard Nolan Seagren extended Solon’s lead. An ensuing make from the charity stripe by Zoske gave Solon a 10-point lead.
A Karsyn Regennitter steal transformed into another Zoske 3-pointer. It gave Solon a 41-26 advantage with about four minutes left in the third frame.
Zoske scored 13 of his 22 points in the second half.
"I haven't had a game like that in a while, usually I just shoot all the time, but I was driving a lot, passing a lot, rebounding a lot; just doing all the things I needed to get the win tonight," Zoske said. "We haven't been the greatest shooting team this season; just for me to come out and nail like three or four threes or whatever I had tonight; it's a good confidence builder for the rest of the season."
Solon’s full press defense paid off in third quarter
While Solon’s scoring in the third quarter helped build a double-digit advantage, it was its defense that provided enough breathing room against the Bobcats.
The Spartans went on a 13-0 run to separate themselves from the Bobcats in the third. A lot of that success can be pointed toward Solon's aggressiveness in full-press defense.
"Our press helped kind of get us going up and down the floor a little bit; try to get easy buckets, turn our defense into offense," said Solon coach Jared Galpin. "(It's) something we've been working on a little bit here and the first time we really implemented it, and it went really well."
The Spartans outscored the Bobcats 37-22 in the final 16 minutes of the game.
Sophomore Grant Gordon shows potential
One of four sophomores on the roster, Gordon entered Friday’s contest averaging four points per game. He exceeded his season average with nine points against the Bobcats.
His point total doesn’t necessarily paint the whole picture, though.
The 6-foot-1 guard displayed a level of grit needed at the varsity level. In the third quarter, he provided a spark by disrupting the passing lanes while converting on a few three-point plays.
"I felt really good with the ball when I had the ball in my hands; I just felt like I knew what I was capable of," Gordon said. "I like to pride myself on hustle."
With just a few minutes left and the Spartans up by double digits, Gordon stood firm under the rim and drew a charge, which gave the ball back to Solon.
"I think the best play made all night was taking the charge," Galpin said. "He felt it, it hurt, but that's the best play. That's a selfless kid, that's a selfless act for the team, and we need more of that."
Marc Ray is the high school sports reporter for the Iowa City Press-Citizen. He can be reached at [email protected], and on X, formerly Twitter, at @themarcszn.