Welcome to the IHSA boys basketball 4A State series. The first semifinal featuring two teams with combined records of 65-5. Benet Academy is back at State after runner up finishes in 2014 and 2016 after an impressive win over Rockford Auburn. The Redwings take on the New Trier Trevians who make their first semifinal appearance since 2002 after taking care of Libertyville in the supersectional. This highlight is sponsored by BMO Harris Bank.
New Trier gives Benet trouble early
The Trevians start cooking early on with Evan Kanellos using the glass as his best friend to score in the opening minutes.
The game is at 8 but that changes with leading scorer and Cornell commit, Jake Fiegen who buries the three point basket from the wing.
Redwings trail by one and here comes Brayden Fagbemi driving through the paint and lays it in to give his squad a 12-11 advantage.
Sam Driscoll steps in big
Just before the end of the first quarter break, Sam Driscoll gets a three point opportunity and sinks it to beat the buzzer. He comes in for Brady Kunka who went down early in the game with an ankle injury and steps up in a huge way.
Redwings keep that momentum up 21-18 and it’s Niko Abusara getting the hard shot to fall with the foul.
The Redwings keep on fighting and this possession shows their intensity. Parker Sulaver misses the three but there’s Driscoll taking the ball away and he hitting a corner three. What a play by the Driscoll. 11 big points off the bench.
The attack continues for Benet and nobody can stop Fagbemi who scores another lay in. 35-23 wings at the half. 18 points in the game for Fagbemi.
New Trier gets feisty to start the third. Kanellos fools everyone in the paint by assisting to Logan Feller whose lay-in puts the team back within ten.
Fiegen makes the deficit single digits by getting the Kanellos assist and gets it to go to add to his 26 point performance.
All Redwings down the stretch
However good luck stopping the 34-1 Benet squad. Despite the miss by Fagbemi, Abusara steals and the pass out of nowhere gets the hoop and the harm. Great heads up play by the senior who tallies 18 points, 9 rebounds and 8 steals in the game!
Trevians had no answers on defense all game and Redwing Andy Nash connects on a corner trifecta to put this out of reach.
Abusara ends the highlight with a beautiful two handed jam that helps Benet Academy punch its ticket to the championship game where they’ll face red hot Moline team after a dominating 64-49 win over New Trier. The Redwings are hungry for their first boys basketball State championship trophy in school history.
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