Malonga answers Benet's call
Through seven lead changes and eight ties, Benet's boys basketball team searched for a difference-maker.
Along came Jason Malonga.
The junior's three-point play at the start of overtime provided the Redwings the spark and the margin - though narrow - they needed to pull out Thursday's 46-42 East Suburban Catholic Conference victory in Lisle.
Malonga scored a team-high 17 points, matching the effort by lightning-quick Spartans freshman point guard Chase Adams, in a steady performance during a perpetually tight game.
"We were playing hoping not to lose instead of trying to win the game and that hurt us, that's why we went into overtime," said Malonga, who shot 7 of 9 from the field. "But we kept our composure, got down on defense, got some stops, scored the ball and got the 'W.' "
Benet (5-2, 2-0) held a 40-37 lead after Sean Gerken scored with 24 seconds left in regulation, but Adams answered seconds later with a nifty three-point play to tie it up at 40 apiece. The Redwings had a shot blocked in the waning seconds to send the game to overtime.
Malonga's three-point play set the tone in overtime. Chris Austin, who had 11 points for the Spartans (3-6, 0-2), scored to pull his team within 44-42 with 15 seconds left. The teams combined for 2 of 8 free-throw shooting in overtime until Dan Sobolewski, who scored 11 points, gave Benet a 46-42 lead with a pair of free throws with 12.2 seconds left.
"A lot of it's our youth, but a lot of it's just being hungry," said Marian Catholic coach Mike Taylor, who started two freshmen and rotated in three sophomores. "It's a good lesson for our kids to learn. We had our chances, and we didn't do it."
Benet appeared poised for a big perimeter night when Colin Bonnett, who scored 10 points, and Sobolewski hit 3-pointers to start the game. The Redwings, however, went nearly a full quarter without a point before Malonga and Cameron Graves scored late in the second quarter to limit Marian Catholic's halftime advantage to 19-17.
The teams traded baskets for most of the third quarter. Three times in the fourth quarter Benet stretched a lead to 3 points, but the young Spartans still managed to send the game to overtime.
"The margin for error is slim, and we know that," said Benet coach Gene Heidkamp. "We just have to be more consistent in every phase of the game."
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