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Benet does it again

Benet's had more talent in the past but, as a group, this season's team rates pretty well with history.

The program won its third sectional title since 2010 and eighth overall with Friday's 61-55 victory over York in the Class 4A East Aurora championship game.

With the score tied at 34 early in the fourth quarter, back-to-back 3-pointers by Liam Lyman and Jack Nolan put Benet ahead to stay.

Top-seeded Benet (29-3) advances to the Northern Illinois University supersectional to face Joliet West (21-9), a 48-41 winner over Oswego, at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday in DeKalb. The Redwings, who lost 59-53 to Joliet West at the Pontiac holiday tournament, are going for their second state semifinal final appearance in three years.

"This sectional was so tough," said Benet senior James Dockery, who scored 14 of his game-high 20 points in the fourth quarter. "We had to take each game one by one because we didn't want to look ahead. Anyone could have beaten us. It's just so great to pull every single close game out."

Sixth-seeded York (20-13), which beat No. 3 Naperville North and No. 2 Glenbard West to reach the sectional final, trailed by 14 points in the first half and by 12 points early in the third quarter. Nolan, who scored 12 of his 16 points in the first half, Lyman, Dockery and Justin Enochs all knocked down 3-pointers.

Like in York's semifinal win over Glenbard West, however, the Dukes rallied with stifling third-quarter defense. They held Benet to just 4 points in the period and tied the game 34-34 on Jordan Gray's bucket a minute into the fourth quarter.

Three minutes after the go-ahead 3-pointers by Lyman and Nolan, Dockery's three-point play extended the margin to 10 points.

"We knew when they made that run to stay poised, stay focused," Nolan said. "I think the momentum really turned there."

Dockery made 12 of 15 fourth-quarter free throws to help keep the Redwings in control. Benet knocked down 24 of 31 attempts from the line overall.

"Our kids have a lot of heart. I'm very proud," said York coach Vince Doran. "When we made that great run they came back and answered, and that's what great teams do."

Jason Malonga scored 16 points for Benet, while Jack Morrissey led York with 15 points.

"This was unbelievably tough," said Benet coach Gene Heidkamp. "There was so much parity in our sectional, and that was demonstrated this week. We definitely earned a chance to play on Tuesday playing great teams like that."

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Images: Benet wins sectional title in boys basketball over York, 61-55

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