Benet survives vs. Simeon
Benet's Kendall Holmes fixed one problem with two solutions on Thursday.
With her team trailing in the final minutes, the junior guard improvised after a broken play call following a timeout by flashing to the 3-point line. In the midst of chaos, Holmes buried a wide-open 3-pointer - in front of Benet's bench - to lead the Redwings to a 71-66 triumph over Simeon in the Class 4A Benet regional title game.
Benet coach Joe Kilbride set up a designed play during the timeout, but after the play was disrupted by a glut of players, Lauren Stack saw an opening to pass the ball.
Holmes received the pass and hit the eventual game-winner with 1:25 to go to give the Redwings a 66-64 lead. Benet made five free throws in the final 27.9 seconds to advance to Tuesday's Hinsdale South sectional semifinal against Whitney Young.
"It was a broken (play) and we were just trying to cut and get moving, and I saw an opening and I was able to knock it down," Holmes said. "(Simeon) was occupying the other defenders on the opposite side. We were supposed to take the defenders and cut backdoor and then try and get open. It was a great pass. They are a really great team."
Holmes paced the Redwings (25-5) with 20 points, while Clara Prasse finished with 15 points, Brooke Schramek had 13 points and blocked 4 shots and Stack also tallied 13 points.
"Kendall (Holmes) has stepped up huge for us this year and become one of our main contributors," Stack said.
Known for his knack for designing plays, Kilbride admitted Holmes' freestyle move was the key to the win.
"I drew something up different," he said. "I told her to come fill behind … and she would be open at the arc. She read it and made a play, and thankfully Lauren read it too and made a play … (Holmes) has been big for us for awhile."
The Redwings needed every second - and ounce of effort - to overcome an athletic, tall and physical Wolverines' team slowly becoming an annual city powerhouse. The Wolverines (20-11) nearly knocked off the Redwings by pushing the pace, pounding the ball inside and disrupting Benet's offense with their pressure defense.
Simeon's Khaniah Gardner, who has six scholarship offers, was a dominating presence in the post, finishing with 28 points and 10 rebounds. The 6-foot-2 sophomore scored the Wolverines' first 8 points. She nearly willed Simeon to victory after Kansas State recruit Jada Thorpe fouled out and 6-3 senior forward Donella Gardner sat out the last 10-plus minutes due to an injured ankle.
Three players fouled out for Simeon, which committed four straight turnovers during a pivotal stretch late in the fourth quarter.
"We played good, but we just didn't capitalize at the end," Simeon coach Johnny Davenport said. "Foul trouble really hurt us big-time."
Prasse, a senior point guard, kept the Redwings from coming unglued early in the game until her teammates settled down. Despite being one of the smallest players on the court, Prasse handled Simeon's pressure, attacked the basket, picked up a couple of key steals and deflections and helped slow down the game offensively.
"She's a warrior," Kilbride said of Prasse. "She just battled. She was attacking and showing our girls that we can get to the rim. She's a competitive warrior."