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Hawks jump on senior star’s back, return to state

Balderas wipes out shaky performance with game-winning free throws with 9.1 seconds left in 2A substate win over East Marshall

Colton Coy (left), Collin Hill (center) and Conner Hill (25) show off South Hamilton’s state qualifier banner as they celebrate the Hawks’ 53-51 victory over East Marshall in a Class 2A substate final Saturday night in Nevada. Collin Hill tied his career high with 32 points and he also pulled down 14 rebounds to carry South Hamilton to its second state tournament berth in the last four years. DFJ photo/Troy Banning

NEVADA — By his own account, Marco Balderas was having the type of game that would haunt him for days, weeks and maybe years Saturday night.

No field goals. Just two assists. Four turnovers. About as un-Marco as he’d been all season.

But when South Hamilton truly needed him, when the team’s fate rested in his hands, Balderas delivered the goods. And just like that, the ninth-ranked Hawks were headed back to the state tournament.

Balderas splashed in a pair of free throws with 9.1 seconds remaining and then gritted his teeth as a desperation heave from 25 feet away banged off the left side of the rim to send the South Hamilton crowd into a frenzy, as the Hawks fended off a hungry East Marshall group, 53-51, in the Class 2A Substate 6 final at Nevada High School.

The overflowing crowd — it was standing room only by tip-off — was treated to more twists and turns than a roller coaster, but a Herculean effort from Collin Hill — the all-state senior put his teammates on his back and carried them across the finish line with 32 points and 14 rebounds — and Balderas’s moxie in the closing moments sent South Hamilton (22-2) back to state for the second time in the last four years and seventh time in program history.

Marco Balderas (facing) jumps into the arms of teammate Colton Coy as they celebrate South Hamilton’s substate win Saturday night. DFJ photo/Troy Banning

Balderas, an 87.1 percent free throw shooter — fifth-best in 2A among players with 30 or more attempts — casually toed the line, took his dribbles, spun the ball in his hands, took a deep breath and let it fly.

Swish.

And swish.

“I’ve practiced free throws a lot because I know games come down to the wire sometimes,” Balderas said. “I knew I’d make them both.”

And despite the junior point guard’s struggles for 31 minutes and 50.9 seconds, Hawks’ head coach Nathan Hill knew it, too.

The South Hamilton student section storms the court to celebrate with the players moments after the ninth-ranked Hawks knocked off East Marshall, 53-51, in a Class 2A substate final Saturday night in Nevada. South Hamilton is headed to state for the seventh time in program history. DFJ photo/Troy Banning

“At the end of the game I would want anybody else at the free throw line,” Nathan Hill said. “He’s just incredible. He’s got ice water in his veins and there was no doubt in my mind he was going to make them.

“You’ve got your best free throw shooter at the end of the game, it’s tied with less than 10 seconds left, what more could you ask for? So I’m really happy for him because I think this will get his mind right going into state.”

East Marshall (17-6), which was looking for its first-ever state appearance since consolidation 26 years ago, appeared to have the game in its hands. A 3-pointer from the left wing by Dru Boliver with just over one minute remaining put the Mustangs in front 51-49. Hawks’ junior Logan Klemp quickly answered with a 15-foot jumper to knot it at 51 as the clock ticked under a minute to go.

After running close to 30 seconds of the clock, East Marshall called a timeout to set up an end-of-regulation play. But a hand-off to Tyler DeBondt near mid-court went awry and he slipped just as Conner Hill slapped the ball away and straight to teammate Logan Peters. A quick toss up to Collin Hill, followed by a whip pass towards the right block to a streaking Balderas led to the foul with 9.1 seconds remaining.

South Hamilton stayed aggressive defensively after the Balderas makes and it left DeBondt with just a Hail Mary from straight on as time expired. Fittingly, the rebound landed in Collin Hill’s hands and the celebration was on.

South Hamilton forward Logan Klemp (10) pressures East Marshall’s Zane Johnson from just outside the 3-point arc during the first half on Saturday in Nevada. Klemp scored six points in the Hawks’ 53-51 victory. DFJ photo/Troy Banning

“That shot was up there forever,” Collin Hill said. “But once I got the rebound, I knew we were going back to (Wells Fargo Area). This team, it never stops fighting and I’m just so proud of everyone.”

Balderas finished with four points — he was perfect in four chances at the charity stripe. Conner Hill buried a pair of 3-pointers and finished with eight points and three assists. Klemp pitched in six points and four rebounds.

But this game was all about Collin Hill, who accounted for 11 of the Hawks’ 18 field goals, including 5 of the team’s 8 in the second half. With East Marshall sagging off on the perimeter, he rained in three 3-pointers and also knocked in 7 of 10 free throws.

“He just refused to lose in this game and he took his teammates with him,” Nathan Hill said of his eldest son. “It was just awesome to see.”

South Hamilton bolted out to a quick 10-2 lead less than five minutes into the game and twice led by as many as 10 points in the first half. But East Marshall responded and outscored the Hawks 14-4 over the final five minutes of the second quarter to bring it back to even, 26-all, at the half.

Hawks’ sophomore Conner Hill lets a 3-point shot fly in the second half on Saturday. DFJ photo/Troy Banning

Nine third-quarter points by Collin Hill pushed South Hamilton up by as many as seven, but the Mustangs again responded with a 6-0 spurt to get within 40-39 as the teams prepared for the final eight minutes of battle.

“This type of atmosphere, this type of game, you knew they were going to come back because they’re a really good team,” Collin Hill said. “But the big games we’ve played in this year really paid off for us.”

Zaine Leedom had 13 points and five rebounds for East Marshall, but he was forced to watch the final 1:58 after he picked up his fifth foul. Boliver also poured in 13 points and Eli Anderson added 10.

Nothing about it was easy. But South Hamilton survived.

“We probably had a sub-par performance out of most of our guys from where their expectations are, but that’s what a team is all about,” Nathan Hill said. “I can’t say just how proud I am of these guys for believing in themselves. They play for each other. This group of guys absolutely loves each other and it shows on the floor.”

The South Hamilton student section watches Marco Balderas at the free throw line with 9.1 seconds left on Saturday. DFJ photo/Troy Banning

The boys’ state tournament will get underway from Des Moines on Monday, March 6. The brackets will be unveiled on a Iowa High School Sports Network webcast on Wednesday at 1 p.m.

South Hamilton 53, East Marshall 51

Class 2A Substate 6 Final

Saturday at Nevada

South Hamilton (22-2) — Marco Balderas 0 4-4 4, Cole Berg 0 1-2 1, Logan Klemp 3 0-0 6, Logan Peters 0 0-0 0, Collin Hill 11 7-10 32, Conner Hill 3 0-0 8, Cade Balvanz 1 0-0 2. Totals 18 12-16 53.

East Marshall (17-6) — Zaine Leedom 6 1-2 13, Dru Boliver 5 0-0 13, Zane Johnson 1 4-5 6, Eli Anderson 3 3-3 10, Tyler DeBondt 2 1-2 5, Logan Nicholson 1 2-5 4, Zach Finders 0 0-0 0. Totals: 18 11-17 51.

So Hamilton 16 10 14 13 — 53

E Marshall 9 17 13 12 — 51

3-point field goals — SH 5 (Col. Hill 3, Con. Hill 2); EM 4 (Boliver 3, Anderson). Rebounds — SH 31 (Col. Hill 14, Berg 5); EM 26 (DeBondt 7). Steals — SH 7 (Col. Hill 4); EM 7 (DeBondt 3, Anderson 3). Assists — SH 11 (Con. Hill 3); EM 11 (Anderson 4). Team fouls — SH 21, EM 16. Fouled out — SH: Berg; EM: Leedom.

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