“It’s not the size of the dog in the fight, it’s the size of the fight in the dog.”

That popular quote penned by Mark Twain has become a cliché over the years, but when describing the play of Northern Lehigh Bulldogs’ senior guard Brandon Hess – it simply just fits too well.

Hess’ playing style, love of the game, and ability to make an impact on the court at just 5-9 150 pounds, can certainly be summed up by Twain’s famous words.

The senior has used that fight to help his team improve steadily over the past four seasons and most recently used that determination to surpass the 1,000-point mark in a game against Notre Dame Green Pond on Jan. 24.

“It was a really special moment to score 1,000 points and share that moment with my family, friends, coaches and teammates,” said Hess. “Even though it was an away game, all my family was able to come and show support, I really appreciate all their support over the years.”

Hess has been a mainstay for Northern Lehigh basketball since the 2015-16 season. The Bulldogs were 1-21 that year, but since then have gradually improved as Hess has improved. In his sophomore campaign, Hess averaged 12.27 points per game and the Bulldogs improved to 7-15. Last season, Hess really came into his own, averaging 17.29 points per game (third best in the Times News area), helping lead Northern Lehigh to an 11-12 record and a District 11 3A playoff berth – its first since 2014.

This season, Hess is once again leading the team in scoring for the third consecutive season, averaging 16 ppg. The Bulldogs are 15-7 (11-6 Colonial League), and have qualified for both the league district playoffs.

There’s no denying that Hess’ exciting style of play — whether it’s hitting a big three-pointer in transition, finishing at the rim against two defenders in the open court or coming up with a big steal — has a direct impact on the team’s success. Hess’ ability to energize his team and the people in attendance is unrivaled by most in the Times News area.

“He’s an electric player, he definitely excites the crowd, especially when we’re at home. We’ve been lucky enough the last couple seasons to get good crowds at home, and he definitely gets them and the student section going,” said Northern Lehigh head coach Jeff Miller. “He’s just a gritty player and has been since Day 1.”

He’s not the quickest, he’s not the strongest, he’s not the biggest, but he makes plays and he plays hard, and he’s worked hard to improve his game every single season. He can shoot it, and he’s so crafty when he gets into the paint and to the rim, when he makes those type of shots we gain a lot of momentum from the energy he creates. He’s truly been a pleasure to coach for the last four seasons.”

Indeed, he has worked on his game over the past four seasons to become a more complete basketball player. From the onset of his career, Hess could always hit the triple and has shown that since he stepped on the court as a freshman. In fact, Hess has hit an impressive 165 career three-point field goals, and that number will almost certainly continue to grow with three regular season games remaining. But in his junior season, Hess developed the ability to get to the rim and finish at a high rate, making him an even more difficult player to defend.

“I just love everything about this game and I’ve dedicated my whole life to playing it and trying to get better at it,” added Hess. “Even through I’m not the strongest guy, I just try to play as big as I can and finish as strong as I can, and most of the time I can get job the done.

“I think the key is just trying to play with a lot of energy, give everything you have, that’s the way our team likes to play. We like to get out and go, we like to get fired up, this is a fun game and that’s why I love it.”