We’re at Oswego East as four-seed Benet boys basketball takes on the 13-seed Plainfield East in a Regional Semifinal. The Bengals enter with an 11-20 record after finishing ninth in the Southwest Prairie Conference. Benet enters after winning the East Suburban Catholic Conference with a record of 25-6. The winner will take on Oswego East in the Regional Championship. This highlight is sponsored by BMO.
Multiple Redwings help build a 13-5 lead to end the first
Minutes into the game we find Alijah Little pulling up from the elbow to get the Bengals on the board.
Benet answers right away as they find Colin Stack down low, cutting to the basket. He makes it 9-2 for the Redwings.
Later in the quarter, Ewola Moukoulou grabs the board and puts it back up for the bucket, pushing the lead to six for Benet.
At the end of the first, Benet’s inbound play works, finding Gabe Sularski to lay it in. It’s 13-5 Redwings.
Plainfield East closes the second quarter on a run
To start the quarter, Bengal Joshua Stone hits the wide-open three to squeeze the Redwing lead to five.
Midway through the quarter, Patrick Walsh hits from the top of the key to give Benet a 21-13 lead.
As the game gets closer, Plainfield’s Ian Smith knocks down a three to bring it within one, making it 21-20.
As the game went back and forth, Bengal Kobe Jordan cuts to the basket for a tough bucket.
Benet basketball pulls ahead in the Regional Semifinal
At the beginning of the second half, Sularski drives and switches hands for a nice layup. Benet’s in front, 30-22.
A couple of possessions later, Redwing Daniel Pauliukonis spins and lays it in easily to extend the lead.
As Benet continues the run Parker Sulaver spins into a baby hook to push the lead to 12.
Plainfield fighting back as Little grabs the rebound and hits an open three to cut the lead to 16.
On the ensuing possession, Redwing Jayden Wright hits a corner three to extend the lead.
Benet basketball advances to 14th straight Regional Final
The Redwings don’t stop as we go into the fourth quarter. Walsh hits an open corner three to make it 53-37.
At the end of the game, Pauliukonis oops it to Stack who throws it down to make 61-43.
With a couple of free throws at the end of the game, Benet defeats Oswego East 28-22 65-48. The Redwings move on to a fourteenth straight Regional Championship and will be taking on either Oswego East this Friday.
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