Benet overpowers Evanston and moves on to IHSA Boys Basketball State Finals

The Benet Academy Redwings and the Evanston Wildkits meet up in Champaign in the IHSA Boys Basketball State Semifinals. The last time the Redwings lost was to the Wildkits on February 1st, and have simply been on fire since, as winners of 10 straight. The Wildkits have won 12 of their last 13, and are in the state series for the first time since 2019. The winner plays Warren in the State Championship. This highlight is sponsored by BMO.

Defense gets to work early in the IHSA Boys Basketball Semifinals

Evanston grabs the rebound and quickly heads up the court. Vito Rocca finds George Richardson who scores the first points of the night.

Blake Fagbemi finds Jayden Wright at the top of the key. Wright spins past three defenders and nails the middy to tie it up.

Fagbemi takes his defender to the basket and draws in multiple Wildkits. Mac Doyle is left open in the corner, and it’s pure. As Doyle heads back to defend he jumps a pass and acrobatically finds Fagbemi, who gives it off to Colin Stack for the slam. Benet leads 7-2.

Benet’s defense sets the tone early on. Stack and Edvardas Stasys rise up for not just one, but two blocks down low. Redwings lead 13-6 after the first.

Now it’s Evanston’s turn to shine on defense, as the steal leads to a transition bucket from Theo Rocca. Benet is still up 13-8.

Stasys picks it away from the Wildkits and heads in transition. He takes it himself, Eurostepping around the defender getting the basket to drop plus the foul!

Benet and Evanston exchange 7-0 runs to close the second in the IHSA semis

It’s another Redwing steal, this time from Doyle, who finds Daniel Pauliukonis. The Southern Illinois commit puts in the euro-step himself, and scores to cap off a 7-0 run and making it a 20-8 ballgame. Evanston calls timeout.

Out of the timeout, Evanston calls up a set for Kaidan Chatham. He steps into the middy and sinks it.

Off the inbound, Chatham finds Theo Rocca who banks in the three! The Wildkits arent going away just yet.

Then, Chatham attacks the lane, and rises over the defense for the lay-in. The Wildkits 7-0 run makes it a 20-15 Benet lead at the end of the second quarter.

Blake Fagbemi flies high for the Redwings

Start of the third, Benet is off to the races. Fagbemi cuts inside and sends one over his head to Stack who puts in the duce.

Fagbemi tries to send it to the corner, but it’s taken by Theo Rocca. He lays it off to Richardson and it’s now a two-point game with five minutes left in the third.

More fast paced offense for the Wings. Wrights three is off, but watch Fagbemi fly up for the putback! He nearly slams it down, as he makes it 26-20 Benet. 

Fagbemi heads up court and gives it to Pauliukonis. He creates some space, lets it fly and it’s green! Wings lead 33-28 at the end of three.

Benet dominates the fourth to beat Evanston 56-47 and moves on to play Warren in the IHSA Boys Basketball State Championship

In the fourth, the Redwings look to wrap it up. They open with Pauliukonis attacking the lane and getting the and one to drop. Minutes later, Pauliukonis catches, shoots, and scores to make it 43-31.

Then to close it out, the Benet guards work it together and Wright puts it on the money to stack who posterizes a Wildkit! He’s hyped up, as it the Redwings would lead by as much as 22 in the fourth. 

Benet leads for nearly the entire game and defeats Evanston 56-47. They will take on Warren in the state championship.