Amassing 128 victories over the course of the last five years, Benet has definitely established a standard for consistency and excellence on both ends of the floor.
With guys featuring the likes of David Sobolewski, Frank Kaminsky, Matt Parisi, Pat Boyle, Pat McInerney and Sean O’Mara leading the way, Benet has been the measure of consistency throughout the last four years in compiling five straight 20-win seasons and an overall record of 128-26.
The pilgrimage to Peoria last spring, a visit that ended with a trip to the Class 4A state title game and giving Duke freshman center Jahlil Okafor and Whitney Young all it wanted before falling to the Dolphins a basket short, 46-44, marked the culmination of the years and years of hard work Benet has put in.
“I was really proud of our kids, obviously. And not just the kids that were on that team, but all those teams that (came before them),” Benet coach Gene Heidkamp said. “I mean, those guys had a lot to do with what culminated in us getting downstate last year. I think we had a few teams that were deserving and unfortunately weren’t able to get there. But I think that those guys all had a big part of really the culture of the program and allowing what happened last year to happen.
“So I’m really proud of our kids last year for doing that. I mean, you need a lot of good fortune, you need to be healthy, you need a break here or there, which I think we got through the course of the postseason. So you have to play well, but I think it’s just a (testament to what we’ve done). We’ve played in quite a few of big games, I think, in the last five years or so and I think some of our kids are used to that and I think they’ve thrived on it.”
Heidkamp readily admits the 2014-15 season will bring different expectations from previous years, which have seen the Redwings claim sectional titles in 2010 and 2014 while also appearing in a sectional final in 2013.
Colin Bonnett is the only returning starter for the Redwings, having averaged nine points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game.
Bonnett will be joined by David Sobolewski’s younger brother, Danny, as the two guys Heidkamp will rely upon to help lead a young and inexperienced group that includes as many as 10 people who could see time on the floor this year.
Danny Sobolewski averaged around five points a game in limited minutes last year for Benet but proved valuable from three-point range in his time on the floor.
“Colin’s done it when the lights are on and Danny’s played a little bit. He played some important minutes for us last year,” Heidkamp said. “Before I anoint anyone, I want to see them do it in practice and then obviously do well in a game. … Those two guys have done it already a little bit in big games, so I’ll kind of defer to them as the two guys that are probably going to get most of the attention in the preseason.”
Much of the Redwings’ success over the last five years can be attributed to the presences they’ve had inside, from the 2014-15 preseason first-team AP All-American at Wisconsin in Kaminsky to McInerney to the 6-foot-9 O’Mara.
With O’Mara, the program’s all-time leading scorer with 1,681 points, now gone to start his collegiate career at Xavier after averaging 24 points a game while pulling down 13 rebounds a game, a different style of play will be necessary.
“We’ve had some great big guys between Sean and Frank, but I’ve coached plenty of teams in the past that have been guard-oriented and I’m very familiar with that style of play,” Heidkamp said. “I’m not really concerned about it. I’m more concerned about how we play and really our kids adapt to playing a different style because they’re accustomed, as well, to throwing the ball inside.
“That’s kind of how we played last year, the kids that have played a little bit for us. So you never want to lose a player like Sean or a player like the other big guys that we’ve had in the past.”
Pointing out that his team may be able to do some different things offensively without the presence of a dominant back to the basket player, Heidkamp expects the defensive standard the Redwings have established to be maintained.
Heidkamp is also quite realistic with what the 2014-15 season is going to be about.
“This is a new chapter for us now starting this year,” Heidkamp said. “I’m not putting this team (in with the others). I’m not put that monkey on this team’s back. I feel like we’ve got new players. We don’t have the size (that we’ve had in the past). Every team (here) we measure on their potential and not on past teams or accomplishments of past teams. … We’re playing a really tough schedule. We’re going to have to play well to have a successful year.
“But I’m not expecting these guys to … You know, there’s no expectations as far as having to live up to any successes of the teams of the past. I think this is more about getting better through the year to see what they can accomplish and hopefully getting the most out of our potential. Really the key word is potential. I don’t know what our potential is, but really the goal is to get as much out of these guys as we can.”
