I took a visit to DePaul College Prep in Chicago to check out #1 Benet Academy right before state playoffs start. Good game by both teams, and best thing is no one was injured. Here we go:
#1 Benet Academy (Lisle) 47 DePaul College Prep (Chicago) 43: Game was played at DePaul Prep's pace. They worked the ball to get the shot they wanted, whether that was 5 passes or 15. Neither team shot the ball very well, and Benet led the entire game. DePaul Prep would cut the lead to 5 points but Benet would take it to about 9 or 10 points. It stayed within that margin throughout the third and fourth quarter. Sitting there I just never felt DePaul Prep would get over the hump and win this game. Benet led 13-5 at end of first quarter, and 25-13 at half. DePaul Prep made threes in their first two possessions of the third quarter to cut it to 25-19 and it stayed within this margin the rest of the game. Players of the game for both teams. Senior guard Brady Kunka (6'3") clinched the game with 3 for 4 from three throw line down the stretch.
ANDY NASH WAS HOT FROM THREE: 6'4" senior wing hit 5 for 8 from three for the game. He was 3 for 3 in the first half which was key in keeping Benet Academy ahead. He had a game high 16 points for the game.
NIKO ABUSARA ATTACKED THE BASKET AS USUAL: 6'5" senior wing Dartmouth commit was attacking the basket the entire game. Did not shoot well as he was 5 for 14 from the field, 1 for 2 from the line for his 11 points and 7 rebounds. He's here because he had a nasty poster dunk over DePaul Prep sophomore guard Robert Walls (WATCH....YOUR...HEAD, taps head). He also received a technical foul right after for taunting, but to me you celebrate a play like that. It was NASTY!!!!!!
BRAYDEN FAGBEMI WAS BIG TIME ONCE AGAIN: 6'0" senior point guard Johns Hopkins commit plays well every time I see him. Did not score much tonight, but was consistent in pressuring the DePaul Prep guards, and running the offense. A lot of people like me thought he should be going to a school higher than division three. I talked to his Dad after the game and the young man wants to be a surgeon. He has the 50 year plan and not a 4 year plan and that is one of the best schools in the world for medicine. By the way he had 8 points 5 rebounds and 5 assists tonight.
DEPAUL COLLEGE PREP IS POISED TO MAKE ANOTHER RUN IN CLASS 2A: Junior wing Payton Kamin (6'8") (8 points) was playing only his second full game tonight. Teaming him with junior Jaylan McElroy ( 9 points 5 rebounds) and sophomore point guard Makai Kvamme (6'0") had a team high 11 points tonight. Senior guard Maurice Thomas (6'0") and junior guard PJ Chambers (6'2") they have the guns to make a deep run. They are a #1 seed in Christ The King (Chicago) Sub-Sectional. They kept this game close but just didn't have enough to get over the hump.
Benet Academy is 29-1 and still have not lost in the year 2023. DePaul College Prep drops to 16-12 and a dangerous out in Class 2A.
Notes:
Regular season is now in the books. Look for an exciting three weeks of great high school basketball on the Road to Champaign.
St Rita (Chicago) wins the Chicago Catholic League Blue Title.
Braeden Carlsen of Wauconda breaks the single season school scoring record. Congrats. 20 points 6 rebounds 6 assists.
Top performances:
Logan Brown, Glenbard West (Glen Ellyn) 21 points
John Kurysy, Kennedy (Chicago) 28 points 7 rebounds
Brett Gomez, Kennedy (Chicago) 24 points 8 assists
Asa Thomas, Lake Forest 27 points (5 threes)
Anthony Ciaravino, Mount Carmel (Chicago) 21 points
Ian Ravagnie, Huntley 17 points
Nous Industraitis, St Rita (Chicago) 22 points
Morez Johnson Jr, St Rita (Chicago) 22 points 10 rebounds (double/double)
Cooper LePage, South (Crystal Lake) 34 points 7 rebounds 3 steals
AJ Demirov, South (Crystal Lake) 19 points 3 assists (sophomore)
Nic Polonowski, Lyons Township (LaGrange) 17 points
Cam Cerese, Lake Park (Roselle) 23 points
Vontez Dent, Christian (Rockford) 23 points
Blake Broege, Christian (Rockford) 19 points
Mason Funk, Normal U 21 points
Carter Webb, Antioch 22 points
Marshall Gehrke, Antioch 19 points (sophomore) (2nd game back)
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