By Bobby Narang
The Benet Academy High School girls basketball team did not want to leave Welsh-Ryan Arena Saturday night.
After pulling out an improbable 75-71 comeback double-overtime victory over Evanston in the third game of the inaugural E-Town Showdown, the Redwings’ players, coaches, and family members milled around the Big Ten Conference court until two security guards ushered the large and tired group off the court.
The Redwings, 27-2, and Wildkits, 21-6, had an extra long wait due to the earlier game between Milwaukee Hamilton and Evanston boys basketball teams which lasted three overtimes.
The Redwings and Wildkits, two of the top five teams in Class 4A, didn’t disappoint.
Benet had two players foul out and was trailing several times late in the game, but Kendall Holmes buried a three-pointer with 21.5 seconds left in the second overtime to lead the Redwings to a victory. Holmes, a DePaul University recruit, led all scorers with 25 points and Emily Schramek scored 15. The Wildkits, who won the Montini Catholic Christmas Tournament, were paced by Rashele Olatunbosun’s 22 points.
“These kids have such competitive grit,” Benet head coach Joe Kilbride said. “They just kept grinding and grinding. That’s what happened today. Kendall Holmes got hot, Allison Forney comes in ice cold and makes two free throws, Ashley Berry gets a couple of steals when we really needed them. Brooke (Schramek) was a warrior all game. We had a lot of contributions.”
Late last week, Benet was awarded the No. 1 seed in the Lisle Sectional.
Hampton to Northern Illinois University
Aurora Christian junior quarterback, Ethan Hampton, became the latest player to end his recruiting. Monday, the 6-2 and 180-pound Hampton committed to Northern Illinois University through his Twitter account.
Northern Illinois head coach Thomas Hammock, a former star running back for the Huskies in the early 2000s, landed his latest recruit to add to his growing list of impressive players. Former Aurora Christian star wide receiver, Chad Beebe, starred for the Huskies.
“I would like to thank my parents for putting in countless hours taking me to camps and visits,” Hampton said by his Twitter account. “Thank you to coach Dan Beebe, Dave Beebe, and Don Beebe for coaching and training me since I was seven years old to not only become a better football player, but a better man.”
Hampton completed 148 of 246 passes for 2,130 yards and 28 touchdowns. He ran for 581 yards and four touchdowns.