CHAMPAIGN — Senior guard Sam Driscoll has looked up to his friend, teammate and classmate Brady Kunka throughout their Benet careers.
When Kunka — the team’s leading scorer — suffered an ankle injury early in the Redwings’ Class 4A state semifinal on Friday, Driscoll came off the bench to replace him.
Driscoll didn’t intend to fill Kunka’s shoes by himself, but he was ready to give his team a lift.
“Obviously, Brady’s one of the biggest parts of our team,” Driscoll said. “He’s been a role model for me personally for four years, on and off the floor. When I got in, I wasn’t really thinking about that. I was just thinking about doing the things I do well: play defense and make shots.”
Driscoll hit three huge 3-pointers in the first half and finished with 11 points and six rebounds, helping Benet pull away for a 64-49 win against New Trier at the University of Illinois’ State Farm Center.
Senior guards Niko Abusara and Brayden Fagbemi scored 18 points each to lead the Redwings (35-1), with Abusara adding nine rebounds and eight steals. Junior center Parker Sulaver contributed 12 points and six rebounds.
Benet advanced to the program’s third state championship game in a bid for its first title with a matchup against Moline (34-3) on Saturday night.
Jake Fiegen scored 26 points to lead New Trier (32-5).
Kunka’s injury happened just over four minutes into the game, and he did not return. Benet coach Gene Heidkamp was emotional discussing Kunka, who came out of the locker room on crutches to watch the second half.
“Brady hurt his ankle, and it looked pretty significant,” Heidkamp said. “They told us he would not be able to get back in the game. Brady’s been with me for three years now, and he’s played his whole career for an opportunity like this. So to have that happen was really heartbreaking.
“But these guys really rallied. I think it really provided extra motivation to get this game.”
Heidkamp was confident Driscoll was ready for the moment.
“Sam’s a starter, he just comes off the bench,” Heidkamp said. “We have six starters. That’s how I look at it. Sam knows that, and he’s accepted the role. Whenever he gets in there, he gives us something every time he steps out on the floor. It hurt not to have Brady, but we had Sammie, and he was able to meet the challenge.”
Heidkamp also credited Driscoll for his defense on Fiegen, a Cornell recruit who certainly got his points but was forced into some tough shots by Driscoll.
“He’s one of the best players I’ve guarded,” Driscoll said. “He’s physical, and he can make threes from about 30 feet. I tried to get him off the 3-point line, and when he tried to post me up, I just did the best I could and tried to make it as hard for him as possible.”
Down 39-25 midway through the third quarter, New Trier fought back within 41-33 before Fagbemi closed the quarter by hitting an off-balance 3-pointer at the buzzer to stretch the lead back to double digits.
The Redwings rolled from there.
“I want to thank Sam for getting me that ball,” Fagbemi said. “I looked at him before it was inbounded and was like, ‘Get me the ball.’ He trusted me to make that shot, and it was a big momentum play.”
One of the highlights of Driscoll’s big game came late in the first half when he made a steal, took a quick step back and buried a 3-pointer.
Driscoll celebrated that sequence a bit. His team was celebrating after the game.
“It was just a fun play,” Driscoll said. “I got the steal and hit the three, and I was just feeling it a little bit. I was happy for the guys.”
Steve Millar is a freelance reporter for the Naperville Sun.