The girls basketball season is back with Benet Academy welcoming La Lumiere from Indiana to tip off the 2022-23 season. The Redwings are hoping to make it back to state again this winter after taking home the 4th place trophy a year ago. A matchup between two of the top seniors in the country with Benet senior Lenee Beaumont, an Indiana University commit goes head to head with Ashlynn Shade from La Lumiere, who is signed to play at UConn next season. This highlight is sponsored by BMO Harris Bank.
First Quarter
After Beaumont puts in the first bucket of the game, Benet gets back to back three pointers from Maggie Sularski to put the Redwings up 9-3 in the opening minutes of the first quarter.
Benet looking to add to the lead. Sam Trimberger crashing the boards to secure one of her ten rebounds, Sadie Sterbenz then finds freshman Bridget Rifenburg who sinks her first career basket t o expand the lead.
Near the end of the quarter, Trimberger gets the pass in the paint and makes a nice move to create space for the shot. Two of her ten points on the night right here.
2nd Quarter
Redwings turning defense into offense. Sterbenz gets the steal and passes ahead to Emilia Sularski who gets the layup. Wings leading 15-6 early in the second quarter.
Beaumont takes the handoff and goes between her legs on the silky smooth step-back jumper as the lead builds to 19-6.
But La Lumiere is too talented to keep down for long. Sincere Coleman Francis lays it in off the inbounds pass to pull her team closer.
Late in the first half, Ashlynn Shade gets going with a couple of buckets. She buries the three here, but La Lumiere still trails 27-14.
Another freshman contributing right away for Benet is Emma Briggs, who gets the nice pass from Sterbenz before banking home her first career basket. Redwings take a 13-point lead into halftime.
3rd Quarter
Lenee Beaumont comes out firing in the second half, taking the ball and immediately spinning for the pull up jumper. BA up by 15.
The Lakers using their size to get back in the game. Gabi Hoover with a running hook that drops in for two.
But once again, Beaumont has the answer. The senior just rises, fires over her defender and buries the triple. Benet goes up by seventeen. The next time down the floor, Beaumont gets the steal and drives to the rim for the and one. The All State performer is taking over this one, leading 37-18.
But La Lumiere stays poised and keeps battling. Ashlynn Shade buries another three and in a blink, the Lakers trail by just ten, 39-29.
4th Quarter
Benet cooling off on offense, but Mary McClintock and the Lakers are heating up with another three-pointer. La Lumiere trailing 43-39 with still over four minutes to play.
Just over three minutes left, Benet turns to its leader as Beaumont steps up and delivers a long range triple. A career high 30 points for the senior as she pushes the lead back to 52-43.
Under 30 seconds left, Lakers inbounding the ball as once again it’s Shade with a big time jumper. La Lumiere trailing 52-49 as it’s only a one possession game!
Sam Trimberger is fouled and the senior steps up and sinks a pair of monster free throws to ice the game. Benet hangs on for the 56-49 win, a great way to start the season for the red and black.
For more prep sports highlights, visit the Naperville Sports Weekly page!
