Countdown to tipoff: Hornets intent on raising some hell with their defensive pressure

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MT. STERLING, Ill. — The “40 Minutes of Hell” play style made famous by Nolan Richardson’s men’s basketball teams at the University of Arkansas — which contributed to three Final Fours in six seasons and a 1994 national championship — is seeing a reboot under first-year Brown County boys basketball coach Jeff Bottorff.

“We’re going to press, we’re going to run, and we’re going to get up and down the floor,” Bottorff said.

Bottorff feels he has the roster to effectively implement this style.

“All but one played football,” Bottorff said. “They have what I like to call that linebacker mentality. They’re anticipating, they’re physical, they’re aggressive. Letting that loose on the basketball floor to defend and get after people fits right in their wheelhouse.”

Bottorff wants the effects of the Hornets’ pressure to linger with the opponents even after the final whistle.

“I want the other team to be worn out when they leave the gym after playing us,” Bottorff said.

High school basketball games are eight minutes shorter than college games, so is “32 Minutes of Hell” more appropriate?

Bottorff’s theory suggests it still truly could be 40.

“Somebody asked me about it, and I’m like, ‘Well, it is 40 minutes because I want them, the last eight minutes before they start, to be worrying about what they’re heading into,’” Bottorff said.

This high-intensity has created a renewed energy, one that senior forward Drew Markert relishes.

“If you walk into practice this year compared to last year, it’s a totally different atmosphere,” Markert said. “The energy guys bring this year is amazing. Everybody’s bringing it. We’re all up in each other’s grills, double teams, pressure on the ball. I love it.”

Markert foresees the Hornets’ in-your-face defense wreaking havoc on opposing offenses.

“It’s going to cause a lot of problems,” Markert said. “Full-court man, trap, that’s going to force a lot of bad passes which leads to turnovers and easy points for us.”

With seven players listed at 6-foot-2 or taller — the tallest being sophomore Jackson McNeff at 6-foot-4 — Markert said the Hornets’ length will an intimidating layer to that full-court press.

“We have tons of length, and those guys are athletic, too,” Markert said. “That helps with our press. A lot of those guys can play the point on the press, and you can trap. With our length and our arms, it’s really hard to go against that.”

If and when the Hornets settle into an offensive set, Market has the strength and athleticism to finish around the rim, but his vision helps him find open shooters on the perimeter like senior Maverick Henry and sophomore Carter Havens.

“When you’re posting someone up, there are a lot of people who like to crash down or double team, and you’re able to kick that ball out for a wide-open 3,” Markert said.

As Bottorff noted though, Henry is not strictly a shooter.

“He can shoot the ball from deep, but he can also drive and he’s physical,” Bottorff said. “He can drop a shot from 25 feet, and he could be in the post the next time down the floor.”

Henry said his shooting and driving prowess keeps defenses honest.

“The defense will change to however I play offense that day,” Henry said. “They’ll just have to adapt.”

Havens has already developed into precisely what Bottorff likes to see in a point guard.

“He’s a tough-nosed, consummate point guard,” Bottorff said. “He’s aggressive on the defensive side. He can control things on the offensive side. He can knock down shots, but he’s a pass-first kind of guard. We have a lot of other pieces around him, and he really makes that motor go.”

Tanner Sitze, the Hornets’ other senior, has a plethora of weapons at his disposal, as well.

“He’s an aggressive defender,” Bottorff said. “He’ll get on the floor. Tanner’s a shooter, too. He can drop a 3 from just about anywhere and take the ball off the dribble.”

The rest of the Hornets’ roster is made up of freshmen and sophomores, and key contributors to Brown County’s eighth grade IESA Class 2A state championship team from last season — Bradley Markert, Michael Kassing and Henry Ingram — will figure into the rotation.

While those youngsters are still assimilating themselves to the high school level, Henry is confident that group of freshmen will prove pivotal to the Hornets’ success.

“They’ve been a little shy, but I think once the season gets going, they’ll come out and be better than ever,” Henry said.

At the very least, they add depth to the Hornets’ attack.

“As guys start to get a little tuckered out, we’ve got another wave coming,” Bottorff said.