The IHSA 4A boys basketball sectional finals are in full force, featuring powerhouse teams in Benet Academy and Bolingbrook. The Redwings are two wins away from getting back to the state series, but it won’t be easy, as the Raiders have the home-court advantage with fans and a DJ bringing the excitement. They are also coming off an exciting sectional semifinal win over Neuqua Valley. This highlight is sponsored by BMO.
It’s the Redwings starting strong with Jayden Wright taking the Steph Curry-like three, and the senior hits it.
Later in the first, Wright puts his man on thin ice, and look out below. Colin Stack finishes it off with a jam. It’s a 17-10 lead for the Wings.
Bolingbrook gets a spark at the end of the first
Slow start for the Bolingbrook, but they get it together as Jeremy McCullum gets the hoop and the harm. He misses the freebie, but there’s TJ Williams with the board and adds on two points to beat the buzzer. Benet still leads 17-14, but the Raiders have momentum.
Redwings order up more threes as Colin Stack shows he can be a difference maker inside the paint and beyond the arc.
It takes some time for Raider sophomore Brady Pettigrew to get cooking, but he eventually finds his footing as he puts up a wild floater that falls in.
The Raiders continue to keep up the pace with their man, Pettigrew, in a smooth transition before pulling up and knocking in the jumper. Bolingbrook takes a 25-24 lead into halftime.
That just fuels Benet because Perry Tchiegne Wandji shows a feisty euro and reverse lay-in to put the Wings back in front at 26-25.
It’s a shootout early in the third as Elijah Anderson drops in another bucket for the Brook.
Ed Stasys comes to the rescue for Benet as he makes a great heads-up play to keep the possession alive and scores plus one. The three-point play gives the Redwings the lead back, 31-30.
Colin Stack steals the thunder heading into the fourth
35-33 Wings as they look for insurance before the fourth. It’s Wright feeding Stack, and the big man drills the three to beat the buzzer. It’s a 38-33 Redwing lead heading into the final quarter.
In the final quarter, the runway is clear as Stack dunks in another one, keeping the Wings in front.
44-35 Redwings, but the Raiders are not out of it. It’s Pettigrew plus Williams, which equals a much-needed three-point basket.
Then Trey Brost doesn’t hesitate to take the corner three, which pays off. A quick 6-0 run brings the deficit to 44-41 with just over a minute to play.
Benet Academy locks up boys basketball sectional championship
However, Benet remains in lockdown mode. Tchiegne Wandji gets the steal and sends the Redwing faithful into a frenzy as number five throws down the dagger. That helps Benet Academy to another boys basketball sectional title after a hard-fought 51-44 win over Bolingbrook. Up next is Rockford Auburn in the Supersectionals on Monday at Northern Illinois University.
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