<p>After losing a tough game to Jefferson last week, Grant wanted to get back on the winning track in a big way. The Generals got that done on Wednesday night as they came out of the gate shooting lights out and then never really looked back as they ran past Benson 74-57.</p>
<p>The pace was fast and furious early as Grant was absolutely on fire from three against Benson's zone in the first quarter and ended up scoring 26 points. The pace slowed down from there, but behind the Generals stellar backcourt of Aaron Deloney and Ty Rankin controlled the game with their shooting, passing, and defense, to offset a good night from Benson's Cobee Crawford.</p>
<p><strong>Aaron Deloney (2019 Grant)</strong> - The way the Vermont signee was shooting it early - he hit five threes in the first quarter alone - it seemed like a 50-point night might be in order. But the senior has long proven that he's not just about binge scoring as he worked on distributing the ball a bit (three assists) and engaging in a defensive battle against Benson's Cobee Crawford. On the night he finished with 29 points including 5-for-8 shooting from beyond the arc.</p>
<p><strong>Cobee Crawford (2020 Benson)</strong> - The junior lead guard for the Techmen came ready to play and it seemed like he made the matchup against Deloney personal. He sank some early threes but then went a little cold from the field before drawing some fouls late and earning some points from the free throw line. Benson depends on Crawford to score and on the night he ended up with 20 points but only shot 6-for-19 from the field.</p>
<p><strong>Ty Rankin (2019 Grant)</strong> - Rankin continues to struggle with his shot this season and he didn't quite have it on Wednesday night either, ending up 2-for-11 from the field. But what makes the senior so valuable is his ability to make an impact in other areas of the game. Rankin hit the boards hard, grabbing 13 rebounds, and also dished out a team-high eight assists. He also played some inspired defense as well.</p>
<p><strong>Emmanuel Steward (2020 Grant)</strong> - Steward hasn't quite gotten into a groove this year with Grant and there have been some games where he's barely played. But against Benson - his old team - the junior made the most out of his playing time, doing what he does best - knock down outside shots. He sank 3-for-5 from beyond three-point range in scoring 11 points. If Steward is able to settle in this role off the bench the rest of the season, Grant will be in good shape to make another title run.</p>
<p><strong>Jaylen Russell (2019 Benson)</strong> - Russell is one of the top athletes in the state as he is a star track and field athlete. The knock on him has been he doesn't always play hard at times but he gave good effort on Wednesday. Russell showed off some athletic moves to the basket and was also very active on the glass, grabbing seven boards. At game's end he had finished with nine points on 4-for-13 shooting.</p>
<p><strong>Laquandre Taylor (2020 Grant)</strong> - Extremely lanky and long, the 6-foot-3 junior showed off some smooth moves cutting to the basket and using his wingspan to finish hear the rim. He was able to battle on the boards despite his thin frame and while he missed his only three-point attempt, his perimeter shot has come a long way from where it was early in the year. Taylor ended up scoring 11 points on 4-for-7 shooting while grabbing five boards.</p>
<p><strong>Robert Barber (2019 Benson)</strong> - Barber is a spot up shooter who can knock down the open three. He was cold early but ended up hitting a couple down the stretch and finished the game with ten points.</p>
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