Benet proved without a doubt Saturday night that it’s not how you start, it’s how you finish.
Matt Wilke scored 25 points–including 12 in the second half and seven in overtime–as Benet overcame a 19-point third-quarter deficit for a 69-68 victory over No. 14 Naperville North.
Benet (9-9) struggled through most of the first three quarters, trailing 30-16 at the half and 42-23 with 3 minutes 24 seconds left in the third before making a dramatic late comeback. The Redwings used fourth-quarter runs of 8-3 and 11-3 to cut the Naperville (13-2) lead to 56-53 with 3:56 remaining. Benet then finished regulation on a 5-2 run, with Dave Pack hitting two free throws with 1:55 to tie the game 58-58 and eventually send the game into OT.
Benet never trailed in the extra period. Wilke’s six points helped the Redwings open the overtime on an 8-4 run to lead 66-62 with 1:07 remaining.
North trailed 69-66 with 13.7 seconds left and had one last attempt to send the game into a second overtime, but Chad Plotke’s (22 points) three-point attempt with 5 seconds left was blocked by John Ores. Henry Domercant had 22 points for the Huskies.
– Phil English
Downers Grove South 75, Addison Trail 70 (OT): Keith McCormick scored 21 points and Jason Hogrefe 17 for Downers (9-7, 4-2 West Suburban Gold).
Larkin 68, Glenbard East 46: Denny Penrod hit a career-high 28 points to lead Larkin (3-5) and Deryn Carter added 12. Josh Fisher’s 22 points guided Glenbard East.
Lisle 61, Montini 53: Mike Oresar’s 20 led Lisle (9-6).