Jordan Fithian had to come clean after the game.
Everyone might have been talking about his show-stopping, behind-the-back pass to Scott Elliott for two points in the second half of Emporia State’s 105-67 victory over Missouri Southern on Wednesday.
Fithian was still wondering where Elliott had even come from.
“I wasn’t even going to Scott, to be honest,” Fithian said. “I want to let everybody know.”
With his back to the basket on the right baseline, Fithian’s blind, no-look, behind-the-back drop pass in the second half hit a cutting Elliott in stride, bringing ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’ from the ESU supporters in the middle of a 16-0 Hornet run.
The way Fithian tells it, he didn’t even see Elliott. The whole play was really supposed to go to Caleb Tegtmeier.
“He cut right after he passed it, so I thought, ‘I’ll throw it right back to (Caleb), try to go no-look, a little razzle-dazzle, just to make Coach mad,’” Fithian said. “I turned around and Scott had picked it up, so I just played along like it was a pass to Scott.”
It was that kind of second half for ESU.
The Hornets could do no wrong in the final 20 minutes, exploding for 67 second-half points in front of an enthusiastic White Auditorium crowd.
“It’s been a long time,” Fithian said, “since I’ve had that much fun.”
After leading just 38-35 at the break, ESU exploded in the second half, starting with a shooting display from guard Donta Watson.
The senior hit his first four 3-pointers of the second half — sticking his tongue out after the third and screaming into the crowd after the fourth — to help ESU to a 54-41 lead.
He was fouled on his next two shots, making all five of his free throws to give himself an astounding 17 points in the first 5 minutes, 12 seconds of the second half.
Watson was just 1-of-6 from beyond the arc in the first 20 minutes.
“I told my teammates, ‘I promise you I’m not going to keep missing,’” Watson said. “They believed me and got me the ball, and I was able to come through on my promise.”
Though he committed up his fourth foul soon after, Watson picked up where he left off late in the game.
He drained a three from the right wing with 6:33 to play, then made a guarded 23-footer from the top of the circle, finishing a perfect 6-for-6 in the second half from three-point range.
“He was unconscious,” Fithian said. “It was great to see, especially for him. He works so hard everyday.”
ESU coach David Moe said Watson’s performance reminded him a little of the streaks former sharpshooter Robbie Ballard used to have.
“For a half, it was like him,” Moe said with a smile. “If he could come out and do that all game, he’d move up on that level.”
About the only downer for the Hornets was their play in the first half. Though not a turnover-prone team, ESU committed 13 miscues in the first 20 minutes and struggled to the three-point halftime lead.
The Hornets more than made up for it in the second half, making 18 of 30 shots from the field in final 20 minutes (60 percent). ESU also hit 7 of 10 shots from beyond the arc in the second half after going just 2-for-11 from three-point range in the first.
It was the Hornets’ first double-digit victory since beating Friends, 83-71, on Dec. 28.
“I’m just glad we were able to put a team away,” Watson said. “All year long, we get a lead on a team and let them back in the game. Tonight, we came out and completed a game.”
Watson led the way for ESU, scoring 33 points on 10-of-18 shooting despite only playing 27 minutes. He finished 7-for-12 behind the arc after making all six of his second-half threes.
“I guess you could call that in the zone,” Watson said with a smile.
Fithian added 15 points, while Andrew Davison hit 14 with a perfect 4-of-4 shooting night from beyond the arc.
Elliott tied a career-high with 10 points, going 5-of-5 from the field.
The victory improves ESU’s record to 15-0.
It was the Hornets’ first home game in 2 1/2 weeks, and Fithian said he was happy the team could put on a show.
“Playing like that — playing together,” Fithian said. “I think that’s what fans want to see.”