Benet coach Gene Heidkamp sensed it.
Not putting too much into a 1-2 showing at the Pontiac Holiday Tournament, Heidkamp had an idea the Redwings might be ready to turn a corner.
“We also practiced, I thought, very well,” Heidkamp said of after the period after the Pontiac tourney. “I thought it was our best week of practice so far this season.”
Judging by what Benet (14-4, 2-1) did over two days at Wheaton Warrenville South’s Martin Luther King Tournament, the proof was in the performance.
The Redwings began Saturday’s tournament by defeating Plainfield South 72-46 and Lake Forest Academy 70-54.
Two days later came a 37-36 win over York and a 53-48 win over Plainfield East as the Redwings opened 2018 with a five-game winning streak.
“I think (our good practices) carried over into, and we were much better offensively or more efficient,” Heidkamp said.
Senior David Buh’s play has been a focal point for most of the season, and the MVP of the MLK Tournament didn’t disappoint.
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Buh tallied 19 and 28 points, respectively, in the wins against Plainfield South and Lake Forest Academy. He added 15 points against Plainfield East.
“We know what (Buh) is capable of and we obviously need him to be aggressive offensively,” Heidkamp said. “He did that really well (Saturday) in both games. Hopefully he finishes the season playing well, which it looks like is happening right now.”
Expectations for the 6-foot-4, 175-pound Buh have changed since last season, when he was the sixth man in support of Jack Nolan and Liam Lyman.
“This year, I kind of have to be more of a leader on the court, try to handle pressure and kind of just create some offense for myself and also for teammates when I can,” Buh said.
Helwig getting help: There’s little doubt Ethan Helwig is what makes the engine go for Metea Valley. Helwig averages 15.2 points and is the only player in double figures for the Mustangs (8-8, 3-4).
The Mustangs have followed their junior leader by starting the new year with victories in three of their first four games.
Balance was the name of the game in Tuesday’s 58-46 win over Glenbard West. Metea received double-digit scoring efforts from senior guard Holden Rank with 15 points and senior forward Brad Hartje with 11.
“It’s really about our entire team and we’re getting more contributions from our bench,” Metea coach Matt Walpole said. “And I think that’s helping open things up for Ethan to get some opportunities. Teams have to respect some of the other players and their ability instead of just focusing on shutting down Ethan Helwig.”
Huskies close out: Of Naperville North’s 14 victories, 10 have been by double digits. Since losing to Batavia on Dec. 28, the Huskies (14-1, 6-0) have produced four straight wins. They know teams are lining up to take their shot.
That’s why a 44-42 victory over Naperville Central could loom large as the season wears on for senior forward Chris Johnson and his teammates.
“It’s great,” Johnson said. “We definitely need the experience. We haven’t been in too many tight games and we know that we just have to keep a little bit more mental composure next time and follow through.”
Senior guard Tyler O’Brien had an opportunity to spoil matters for Naperville Central with a 3-pointer as time expired, but North’s defense forced a miss.
“I think all these are experiences that we’re going to keep building on and learning on,” Huskies coach Jeff Powers said.
Blake Baumgartner is a freelance reporter for the Naperville Sun.