The Benet Academy boys’ basketball team started off the season on the good foot, with a 4-0 record to win the 64th annual Ron Johnson Thanksgiving Tournament at St. Charles East for the second straight year.
Sophomore Gabe Sularski was named the tournament MVP, showing off why he is renowned as being one of the top talents in the state. He has already received Division 1 offers from Tennessee, Michigan, Michigan State and the University of Wisconsin.
Daniel Pauliukonis was also named to the All-Tournament team, using his height to crash the boards and make plays in the paint.
It was an excellent start for the Redwings, who are coming off a season where they went 35-2 and were state runners up. Benet Academy is widely regarded as one of the best teams in all of Illinois.
Benet Academy 62, Plainfield East 42
The Redwings kicked off the season with a 20 point win over Plainfield East on Nov. 21. The Benet Academy boys’ basketball team went up 12-8 to start the game, and increased that lead out to 23-10 before Kevin Tchoffa hit a three for Plainfield East to make it a 10-point game. Benet Academy added a free throw before the half ended, and the Redwings were up 24-13.
In the third quarter Plainfield East got within six points at 26-20, 31-25 and 34-28, but the Redwings started pulling away and it was 40-30 after three quarters. They went on a 14-0 run to make it a 59-35 game, but then Plainfield East scored the next five points to cut the lead to 19. The Redwings went on to take the easy win in the opening game.
Benet Academy shot well, going for 50% from the floor and 38% from three. They also made 71% of their free throws. Benet Academy led 29-22 in rebounds and 15-9 in assists, while both teams had seven steals and a block. Plainfield East was held to 33% shooting and 25% from three.
Benet Academy 84, East Aurora 55
On Nov. 21 the Redwings picked up their second win in the tournament, cruising to an 84-55 win over East Aurora.
Benet Academy wasted no time and jumped out to a 17-2 lead, and East Aurora was held to 4-for-12 shooting. The Tomcats would come back and cut the lead to 27-16 by the time there was 5:10 left in the second quarter. Sularski had a hot hand, draining threes and using his size, and the Redwings jumped out to a 43-31 lead at the half. While it was still a double digit lead, it was anyone’s game to win. The Tomcats shot 60% in the second quarter and were only outscored by two points. Jalen Bealer was leading the way with 11 first half points for East Aurora. Benet had 20 points in the paint in the first half and was led by Sularski with 10 points.
East Aurora opened up the second half with a bucket by Bealer. He was fouled on the way to the hoop and drained a free throw to cut the lead to nine. Sularski responded with an offensive rebound and a bucket to make it an 11 point game. Jayden Wright was fouled on the way to the basket and made one of two free throws to go up by 12 points. Parker Sulaver then hit a layup, was fouled, and completed a three point play to extend the lead to 15. Sulaver hit a long two from the corner to make it a 17 point game, and then Sularski drilled a three to make it a 20 point game.
It was a 67-45 game after three quarters and the Redwings were able to use their third stringers in the fourth quarter to cruise to the 29-point win.
Sularski led the way with 18 points for the Redwings.
Benet Academy 68, St. Charles East 43
Benet Academy took it to the Fighting Saints on Nov. 22 with a 68-43 win. St. Charles East went up 7-3 early in the game, but the lead wouldn’t least long as the Redwings went on an 11-0 run. After a Fighting Saints three, the Redwings went on another run to make it 21-10 at the beginning of the second quarter. St. Charles East made it a five point game, at 25-20, but went on a 13-0 run to end the half at 38-20.
The picked up where they left off in the third quarter, scoring the first seven points of the half. It was a 56-32 game at the end of the three, with the Redwings in full command of the game. They went on to outscore the Fighting Saints 12-11 in the fourth, led by Stack who had a sweet offensive board that he put back for a two handed jam. Benet Academy held on for the 25-point victory.
Sularski led the charge with 26 points, six boards and three assists. Sulaver added 12 points and four rebounds. Pauliukonis was big on the glass with 11 boards, while Jayden Wright and Blake Fagbemi combined for 10 assists in the win.
Benet Academy 73, Proviso East 58
The final game of the tournament was another convincing win for Benet Academy, who toppled Proviso East 73-58 to take the tournament title.
Benet Academy fell behind 10-2 to start the game, but that wouldn’t last long as they went on a 12-2 run to end the quarter. Benet Academy outscored the Pirates 15-9 in the second quarter to take a 29-21 lead at halftime. The third quarter was a dominant one for Benet Academy, outscoring the Pirates 25-11, and while Proviso east had a 26-19 fourth quarter advantage, the deficit was too great and the Redwings took the win and the tournament crown.
While the Pirates had three player in double figures led by Ramsey Momon with 15 points, Sularski and Pauliukonis were too much and led the Redwings to the 15-point win.
Sularski had 16 points and five boards and Colin Stack tallied 17 points and five rebounds in the win. Jayden Wright had nine points and three assists while Fagbemi scored five points and dished out nine dimes.
