A double dose of defeat for Benet
PONTIAC - The final day of the Pontiac Holiday Tournament is a mental and physical grind.
Patterned after the former format of the boys basketball state tournament of playing twice to determine the top-four teams, the arrangement did not agree with Benet on Saturday.
The Redwings were derailed by top-seeded Bloom in the semifinal and their tournament came to a close with a 61-48 loss to Joliet West in the third-place game.
Benet (8-4) enjoyed the early advantage against Joliet West in the major consolation, only to see fortunes unravel against the Tigers' incessant quickness and athleticism. Six consecutive Benet second-quarter possessions ended with turnovers.
"They scored a lot of points off those turnovers," Benet coach Gene Heidkamp said of the Tigers overcoming an early 7-point deficit to take the lead for good late in the second quarter. "We played three very athletic teams at the tournament. I think we were exposed at various points."
Jamere Hill scored a game-high 21 points to lead three Joliet West players as Colin Crothers' 12 points paced Benet.
The Redwings' sixth man, Colin Gillespie, scored 9 points to complement Crothers' team high.
Senior guard Jack Prock was masterful all weekend for the Redwings on both ends of the court.
Prock's final 3-pointer brought Benet to within single figures late against the Tigers, but Benet came no closer.
The Redwings' quest to reach the championship game was undermined by Bloom guard Dante Maddox.
A Cal State-Fullerton recruit, Maddox scored a game-high 20 points in a variety of manners to lead the Trojans to a 61-42 victory.
Whether it was his perimeter prowess or his 3 showstopping dunks, Maddox was an offensive and defensive challenge for Benet.
Bloom raced out of the gates by scoring 17 of the first 19 points.
"Basketball is a game of runs," Maddox said. "We came out and hit them in the mouth. They punched us back."
Prock landed the primary haymakers against the Trojans' defense, draining his first three 3-point attempts.
The last Prock downtown jumper capped a 20-5 run that forged the final tie of the game at 22-22.
"It was a different speed," Prock said of combating the Trojans' three Division I guards. "I think our defense stabilized the game."
Crothers and Prock led the Redwings with 11 points; Crothers brought Benet to within 33-30 2:30 into the third quarter.
But the Bloom athleticism gradually wore Benet down on its offensive end as the Redwings' scoring efficiency suffered significantly the remainder of the game.
"We played arguably the best team in the state, and we're right there for three quarters," Heidkamp said. "But we're not interested in moral victories."