Thanks to the success it has enjoyed over the last several years, Benet is certainly experienced in hostile environments.
Facing yet another team on its home floor in the postseason and with its senior leader struggling, it could have been easy for Benet to wilt under the pressure.
But that’s not the way Gene Heidkamp has built the Benet program since his arrival seven years ago.
Jason Malonga and Danny Sobolewski combined for 31 points as the second-seeded Redwings survived a game Glenbard West squad to pull out a 45-39 victory over No. 14 Glenbard West in a Class 4A Glenbard West Regional Semifinal.
On the night older brother David was honored on his senior night at Northwestern, Danny Sobolewski’s triple with 2:53 left in regulation put Benet in front of the Hilltoppers for good at 41-39.
Fifty-six seconds later, his hustle to get a loose ball near mid-court led to a Redwings’ timeout with 1:57 left while still up two points on Glenbard West.
“I mean, just thinking about it that this could be our last game playing together and these seniors I’ve played with since day one freshman year, it’d mean a ton to me (to help keep their careers alive),” said Danny Sobolewski, who finished with 15 points. “Thinking about it, if we lose, we’re done; I’m done playing with my best friends and I always pride myself. I play hard, do what’s best for the team. I think I just did that (Tuesday) night.”
Armed with the program’s 150th victory since the start of the 2009-10 season, Benet (22-7) gets seventh-seeded York on Friday. Benet beat the Dukes, 39-31, in Elmhurst back on Dec. 13.
Down by as many as nine points early in the second quarter, the Redwings battled to a 21-21 tie shortly before halftime thanks to their defense.
The Redwings kept the Hilltoppers off the scoreboard for nearly six minutes as Malonga, who had a game-high 16, did his best to keep his team in it.
“Jason played great. Jason played really well and the thing is it wasn’t even necessarily as much the offense contribution that he gave us,” Heidkamp said. “It was his defense. He did a really good job guarding (Alex) Passi, who I think is a very good player. He had the opportunity to guard (Passi). I thought he did a pretty good job and that’s a tall order because (Passi) is a very good player.”
Five different Hilltoppers nailed three-pointers in the first half and the Hilltoppers led by as many as seven points with about three minutes gone in the third.
But because of Danny Sobolewski and Malonga’s efforts to help pick up Colin Bonnett, who had only six points, the Redwings are shooting for their fifth regional title since 2010 on Friday.
“We get a couple big baskets (in the first half) and we were able to kind of stabilize the game,” Heidkamp said. … “We were able to get back in the game and it was just a dogfight down the stretch. This is our team. Every game is going to be like this for us.”
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