Benet wins battle of hosts
Neither Naperville North nor Benet could recall the last time they won their holiday tournament. The Huskies couldn’t even nail down their last championship-game appearance.
So both put on a show worth remembering.
After a breakneck-paced first half, No. 4 Benet pulled away late to beat the Huskies 76-60 in Lisle and win the Benet/Naperville North Tournament.
“It was definitely more exciting, because they are one of our rivals,” said Benet junior Christen Prasse. “They were on a winning streak and so were we. I guess we just wanted it more.”
Prasse, who enjoyed a coming-out-party of a tournament, had 17 points, 9 rebounds and 9 assists. The two teams played to a 35-35 tie in a track meet of a first half, but Prasse scored right out of the break and Benet never trailed again.
Prasse also muscled in a pair of tough putback baskets late, as Benet (12-4) scored the final 10 points of the game to run its win streak to eight.
“Christen just played outstanding, a great tournament,” said Benet coach Peter Paul, pointing to the 2000 championship plaque as his team’s last known tournament title. “I don’t have the results but she’s gotta be MVP.”
Naperville North (9-6), which knocked off Geneva Thursday for its sixth straight win, carried that confidence into Friday. The Huskies trailed 14-5 early but roared back to take a 31-23 lead on a tough driving layup by Zoe Swift.
Back came Benet with a 10-0 run, grabbing a 33-31 lead on a Nicole Valentine transition layup.
Valentine had 16 points and 9 rebounds, all while chasing around the cat-quick Swift. Earlier in the tournament she also drew the assignment of guarding Geneva’s Ashley Santos, among others.
“Taylor and Nicole Valentine, those are the unsung heroes for us,” Paul said. “They always draw the toughest players.”
Beating a close rival was extra incentive.
“We needed to win this game,” Nicole Valentine said. “We knew beating us, that would make their season.”
Shannon Bushman scored 19 points — 15 in the first half — and Swift had 17 points for Naperville North. Both were momentarily sidelined during a fast, physical affair.
“It was a physical game from start to finish — girls were getting bumped around a lot,” Huskies coach Jacquie Discipio said. “I don’t think the final score is indicative of the kind of game it was. Benet’s a great team, but my girls hung with them and I think we scared them a couple times.”
Kayla Sharples added 7 points and 13 rebounds for the Huskies, who certainly served notice the last two nights.
“I’m so proud of my girls — they’ve made huge strides from where they were a couple weeks ago,” Discipio said.
Sidney Prasse also scored 17 points for Benet, her 3-pointer answering a Swift three-point play to keep the Redwings ahead 62-54 with 3:35 left. Madeline Eilers, shooting 48 percent from 3-point range this year, added 11 points and three 3s.
“It was a nip-and-tuck battle all the way through,” Paul said. “I thought the second half we did a little bit better job controlling them. I thought earlier we tried to help too much off their other kids, which hurt us. We didn’t want to chase Zoe. We wanted to stay in front of her.”