The Benet Academy Redwings dominate the second and third quarters to their first supersectional championship since 2016. This highlight is sponsored by BMO Harris Bank.
It’s the boys basketball supersectional at Northern Illinois University where the Benet Academy Redwings are coming off a thrilling last-second win over Geneva. Standing in their way is Rockford Auburn who took down St. Charles East in the sectional final.
Benet and Rockford Auburn exchange buckets in the first quarter
Rockford Auburn has possession to start. Adrian Agee drives and kicks it out to Rakim Chaney who splashes it home for three. The Knights get the first bucket of the game.
The Redwings set up a beautiful play here with Brady Kunka and Niko Abusara. Abusara goes backdoor and throws down the slam. Benet is up 4-3.
The Knights are running in transition as Agee brings the ball up and pulls up from mid-range. He gets it to go and makes it a one-point Auburn lead.
The Redwing offense starts to heat up in the second quarter
Benet now with an 11-7 lead after the first quarter. Brayden Fagbemi misses the trey, but Sam Driscoll is there to clean it up. They outrebounded Rockford by 27 in the game.
A Knights miss from downtown leads to a Fagbemi rebound and he turns on another gear. He goes coast to coast through the Knights defense and brings Benet’s lead to 19-10 with four minutes left in the second quarter.
The Redwing offense is back on the attack or should we say Fagbemi. He’s given too much room from his defender and drains the three-ball. They’re up 12.
Minutes later, Fagbemi secures the rebound and drops a perfect pass to Kunka for the layup. Auburn responds right away, though, with its own fast-paced offense. Agee takes the one-on-one with Abusara with an in-and-out dribble to a turnaround fadeway jumper. They’re still down 14, though.
In the final minute of the second, Benet’s big three creates a wide open alley-oop to Abusara who throws it down with authority. Redwings lead 30-15 at halftime.
Benet keeps piling on the points and extends its lead
Benet starts the second half where they left off in the first, executing well on offense. Abusara finds a cutting Kunka who finishes through contact for the and-one.
A minute later, Benet draws up a perfect inbounds play that leaves Andy Nash wide open. He gets it to go and it’s a 36-15 lead.
Benet is closing out the game and watch Abusara. He throws down another slam, but gets right back into the ensuing play. Eventually, the ball finds his hands on the turnover and he weaves through the defense for two, which is enough to pull away from Rockford Auburn. The Redwings advance to the state semifinals on Friday vs. New Trier as they look for their first ever state championship trophy.
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