Benet Academy boys basketball faces Glenbard North in the regional final where the Redwings take home the regional championship. This highlight is sponsored by BMO Harris Bank.
Read all about it! Glenbard North with a big upset over Batavia in the regional semifinals. The Panthers looking to play spoiler to the three-seeded Benet Academy Redwings in the regional championship.
1st Quarter
Benet Academy boys basketball jumps out to an early lead, Kyle Thomas gets the pass in the post from Brady Kunka and he banks it in for two. 8-0 Redwings in the opening minutes.
A couple possessions later, Brayden Fagbemi drives and hands off to Brady Kunka for the layup. Redwings rolling up 17-2!
Glenbard North shakes off the rough start and begins to fight back, James Dean with the steal and drive to the paint. Two points for the Panthers on the goaltending call.
2nd Quarter
Early in the 2nd quarter, Niko Abusara running the break and the junior says get out of the way! Abusara with the big time two-handed throwdown as Benet leads 23-6!
Glenbard North trying to chip away, Greg Strong with a high-arching corner three that goes down to get within 12.
Benet gets the steal next time down the floor and we see some nice passing from Sam Driscoll to Abusara as Kyle Thomas finishes with the finger roll.
Near the end of the half, Abusara making things happen once again. He drives and gets the layup to go, plus the foul. Redwings leading 31-15 heading into halftime. 17 points in the game for Abusara.
3rd Quarter
The second half starts with more of the same, Abusara with a long alley-oop to Kyle Thomas who throws it down to the delight of the crowd. Redwings up to a 37-15 lead.
A minute later it’s Abusara once again throwing down a two-handed slam as Benet is ready to run away with the regional title.
The dunk show continues as Weston Stephens feeds Kyle Thomas who spins inside and flushes home another two points. 16 in the game for the Eastern Illinois commit.
Benet with more great passing, Brennan White under pressure, but he finds Sam Driscoll under the hoop for a pair.
However near the end of the third quarter, Glenbard North finds its offense. Donald Davis buries three of his 11 points from beyond the arc. 45-31 Benet heading to the 4th.
4th Quarter
Redwings look to close the door, Kunka with a nice pass to Ben Romenesko for three. He buries it in the corner, but the Panthers hustle back and get a three-point play from JJ Hernandez who gets into double digits. Glenbard North down 50-37.
But that is as close as it would get. Brady Kunka with a give and go from Stephens that leads to a layup and the foul. 16 in the game for Kunka as Benet Academy wins the regional championship by a score of 60-40. The Redwings face the two seed, Wheaton Warrenville South at Bartlett in the sectional semifinal on Wednesday night.
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