Last season’s IHSA 4A girls basketball runner-up Benet Academy Redwings, takes on 3A champions, Nazareth Academy. The last time these two faced off, Nazareth won 37-32. Benet’s coming off a recent 28-24 win against Carmel and hopes to make it a third win in a row. This highlight is sponsored by BMO.
Benet gets out to an early lead
Benet is looking for the first basket and fires off a string of passes. Bridget Rifenburg finds Maggie Sularski for the bucket. Redwings strike first.
Benet looking to respond after a Roadrunners two. Once again, the Ball movement leaves an open shooter, with Lindsay Harzich getting it to drop. B-A up 5-3 early in the first quarter.
Nazareth girls basketball goes on a run
Roadrunners look to run ahead. After a skirmish with Maggie Sularski, Naz’s Stella Sakalas, gets possession and passes it off, but gets open behind the arc. She nails the three-pointer to give the Roadrunners a 8-5 lead.
With one minute to go in the first, Nazareth’s Amalia Dray, Jane Manecke, and Olivia Austin team-up for the bucket. Roadrunners up 10-5 to end the first frame.
Nazareth runs the same play we just saw, but Benet denies an opportunity inside the paint. That doesn’t stop Manecke from finding Amalia Dray who gets the three to drop and gives Naz a nine-point lead.
Benet looks to climb back into the game, as Maggie Sularski has the ball at the top of the key. She finds Shannon Earley in the paint for an easy lay-up, but Benet still trails by seven with two minutes left in the second quarter.
32 seconds left in the half and the Redwings cough up possession, as Roadrunner Sophia Towne gets ahold of it, powers through, and assists Austin for the 2-pointer. Naz hold Benet to just three points in the second quarter and go into the break with a 20-8 lead.
Roadrunners run home with a road victory
Right out of the gate in the third, the Redwings go around the horn with some passing before it finds the hand of Emilia Sularski. She drains the trey-ball and Benet is now down by 9.
With seven minutes to go in the third quarter, four Nazareth seniors connect on some quick passes before Danielle Scully lays one in. Roadrunners up 25-11.
Later on in the third, Redwings hope to strike back. They work the ball around, finding junior guard, Aria Mazza who drives in for the tally. Benet still trails by 13.
Some more off-ball movement helps Nazareth get an open look, as Dray lobs it to Austin for the basket. The Roadrunners score 17 points in the third and lead 37-20.
Mazza and Emma Briggs team up for some give-and-go movement here and that leaves Mazza open for three. The number three gets it to drop, but Benet is still down 39-23.
Nazareth has all but wrapped up the game, and a perfect inbound play here from Dray and Austin seals it up. The Roadrunners take down the Redwings on the road, by a final score of 51-33.
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