The opening week of the girls basketball season continues as we have a showdown between two teams who went a combined 60-6 a season ago. Benet Academy begins its campaign eager to build on its sectional final appearance from a year ago, while Lyons Township looks to start the season with a win over Benet for a second straight year. This highlight is sponsored by BMO.
Bridget Rifenburg is back for her senior season and is back to scoring, getting the bucket plus the foul.
It’s 10 all, but not for long because the Lions get a turnover on defense with Emma O’Brien. Evie Riopell throws to O’Brien, and she drops in the duce to give Lyons the lead.
Back to O’Brien, who walks over the Benet defense and goes off the glass and in with a friendly bounce. The Lions lead 18-15 after one.
Redwings start the second quarter strong to build a lead
In the second quarter, Ava Mersinger displays the no-look pass to Rifenburg and hits the trifecta to put Benet back in front at 20-18.
Macy Menendez follows that up by taking a three on the wing, and it’s good. Redwings open the second on a 13-3 run to lead 28-21.
However, the Lions cut into it as Gwen Smith gets the bounce pass and kisses the ball off the glass for the basket.
With halftime on the horizon, Emma Briggs looks for some insurance but misses. Rifenburg is there for the rebound and locks in the jump shot. It’s a 30-27 halftime lead for the Redwings.
In the second half, the Redwings find ways to score, so Ava Mersinger saves it, and Rifenburg scores it. That’s one way to draw up a bucket.
Emma Briggs makes plays on offense and defense
Emma Briggs continues to make plays. She gets the ball from Ava Thomas and attacks the basket and lays it in with a defender in her face.
Briggs levels up her game on defense as she chases and rejects Kennedy Moore with a block.
41-37 Benet in the fourth quarter, but the Lions cut that in half with O’Brien getting a much-needed bucket.
Under two minutes to go in the game, the Redwings are milking the clock until a wide-open Menendez shoots for three and drains it. It’s a 50-43 lead for Benet.
However, the Lions score five straight to trail by two. Kennedy Moore gets a heads-up rebound and drops it in to tie the game at 50.
Late run helps Lyons Township to victory
Lyons Township has the ball down 51-50, and coming to the rescue is Anna Bigenwald with the lay-in for the lead. It’s Benet’s turn to respond, with Mersinger finding an open Menendez below the rim, and she scores to put the Wings back in front with 8 seconds left.
Plenty of time for the Lions, so they roll with O’Brien, who fights the contact and gets fouled by Rifenberg on the reach. She lines up at the charity stripe, hits both freebies, and the Lions retake the lead with four seconds left. Benet has one final shot to win the game, but time runs out. Lyons Township ends the game with an 11-3 run to win 54-53 to start the girls basketball season in exciting fashion.
For more prep sports highlights, visit the Naperville Sports Weekly page!