Benet Boys Use Hot Start to Stay Unbeaten

PLAINFIELD – Coming off of three games against crowds of over 2,000, Benet's boys basketball team had to prepare for a whole new atmosphere Wednesday.

Playing in the 5:15 p.m. slot at the Plainfield North tournament against Lockport, the atmosphere resembled a practice more than a varsity game between two teams coming in with a combined 12-1 record.

"It was pretty boring, to say the least," Benet senior center Frank Kaminsky said.

But the Redwings' veteran leadership got the team prepared, and judging by the start of the game, it certainly worked. Benet roared to a 19-4 lead in the first quarter and held on for a 52-38 win to remain unbeaten at 7-0.

"The gym was kind of dead," Kaminsky said. "But we got that energy going in the first quarter and that set the tone for the rest of the game. When they were making runs in the second half, that lead helped us out so much."

That lead moved to 28-10 by the middle of the second quarter. Kaminsky scored 10 points and Matt Parisi and David Sobolewski each scored seven in that surge.

"I think our kids understood the importance of the game," Benet coach Gene Heidkamp said. "I think having six seniors who have been through this and understand how it's going to be helps. We knew it would be tough. I thought the kids did a great job mentally of handling what it would be like at the beginning."

Last year at this tournament, the Redwings held a 10-point lead against Lockport, only to see the Porters (6-2) come back and win. This year, however, that was not the case. Lockport managed to cut the lead to nine twice in the third quarter, but the Porters never got any closer.

"They're a year older and a year smarter," Lockport coach Lawrence Thompson Jr. said of Benet. "They remember last year, too. They're a great team. They've got two great players, but they have a great team. That's the key."

Kaminsky was dominant once again. His 18 points were modest compared to some of his gaudy numbers this season, but he made 9-of-11 shots. He added nine rebounds. Sobolewski added 17 points while once again deftly running the Benet attack at the point.

Heidkamp was happy with how his team responded to the times that Lockport got close in the second half. Sobolewski was key in the third, scoring nine straight Benet points while Lockport was trying to hang in the game.

"Poise has been an issue with us," Heidkamp said. "That's something that we're going to see over and over, teams that pressure us. That is good experience for our kids to play against pressure like that. It's something that we're constantly working to get better at."

Benet is right back in the 5:15 p.m. slot again Thursday, this time against Lincoln-Way North.

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