After defeating Plainfield East in the regional semifinal, the Benet Academy Redwings find themselves in a regional final matchup against the Oswego East Wolves. Last season, Benet defeated Oswego East in the regional final, 57-54. A win in tonight’s game and they will be back on their home court in the sectional semifinals next week against Waubonsie. This highlight is sponsored by BMO.
Oswego East boys basketball attacks the rim early in the IHSA Regional Final
Early in the first, Andrew Pohlman drives from the wing, takes a hit, and scores the bucket plus the foul. After the free throw, it’s 7-4 Wolves midway through the first quarter.
On the other end, Blake Fagbemi hits Colin Stack on the quick slip to the basket and converts the and-1. He connects on the free throw to put Benet back on top 9-8.
Moments later, Stack receives the ball in the post, faces the double team, and then passes to Edvardas Stasys cutting to the rim for two. The Redwings are up three as the first quarter ends
Midway through the second quarter, Lukas Adolfs advances the ball upcourt and then shows off a nice spin move on his way to the cup. That layup puts Oswego East back in front 19-18.
Blake Fagbemi gets the offense going
Benet is back with the ball. Daniel Pauliukonis fakes the off-ball screen, then makes a sharp cut to the rim and Fagbemi hits him in stride. The back and forth continues as Benet reclaims the lead, 20-19 with two minutes left in the half.
A minute later, Fagbemi hits his defender with a nasty crossover and finishes the play with an acrobatic lay in. That puts the Redwings up 22-19, but the game is tied up at 22 at the end of the first half.
Fast forward to midway through the third, Torrin Ross misfires on a three-pointer, but Damien Lewandowski is there to clean it up. The Wolves go up 29-25 with that putback bucket.
Back on the other end, Fagbemi tosses it to Pauliukonis near the top of key and lets it fly from downtown and it’s good. His second three-pointer of the game makes it a 33-31 game with less than two minutes in the third.
Now in the fourth quarter, Myles Buchanan kicks it to Reggie McWaine in the corner and he drills the three-ball. Oswego East extends the lead to 39-34 early in the fourth.
Moments later, Pohlman looks for a driving lane on the baseline, but hes met by Stack at rim and he swats it away. Benet is still down 39-38 with 5:30 to go in the game.
Benet takes down Oswego East in the IHSA Regional final
Now with three minutes to play, Fagbemi penetrates from the top of the circle and kicks it back out to a wide open Pauliukonis and he nails the three-pointer. Another big deep ball puts Benet back on top 42-40.
The Wolves are down four points with less than a minute to go, McWaine fires a three ball but it’s off target and Fagbemi comes down with it. He splits the free throws, and Benet is now up 45-40 with about 30 seconds left in the game. Benet holds on from there adding some more freebies and they capture another regional plaque and will take on Waubonsie Valley in the sectional semifinal.
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