Benet's seniors too much for Marian

Leading by defense is something that Benet boys basketball coach Gene Heidkamp has been celebrating over the last week or so.

"I think what's happened in our last four games, really, is we've committed to playing defense like we're capable of playing defense," Heidkamp said. "We've held some pretty good teams to some pretty low totals, and I give all the credit to our senior leadership and to those kids for buying into playing for each other defensively."

The latest team to suffer under the weight of Benet's senior-led defense was Marian Catholic, which could only muster 10 first half points en route to a 46-27 loss to the host Redwings Tuesday night.

The four senior starters - Luke Nolan, Tyler Van Eekeren, Sam Hennessy and Carson Diehl - combined for 11 of Benet's 20 total rebounds, all on the defensive end, which stifled a potentially potent Marian Catholic offense led by junior Jeremiah Jones, who finished with 11 points.

That must have been inspiration for a guy like Benet sophomore Brady Kunka, who grabbed 5 rebounds of his own, two on the offensive end.

Offense may win games, but defense wins championships, and with Tuesday's win, Benet is 7-2 overall and 5-1 in the East Suburban Catholic Conference, a game behind undefeated Notre Dame, though the Redwings lost to the Dons recently 42-40 on a buzzer-beater.

Keep in mind that leadership is more than just assuming a defensive mindset, Van Eekeren insisted.

"I think we're getting a lot of credit for leading, but I think everyone on our team really does a great job holding each other accountable and I think that's what drives this team," Van Eekeren said.

"People make mistakes and everyone has the ability to get on another person, hold each other accountable and that's what's really pushed us to be the best we can be."

"I think each one of us is playing for each other, and not individually," Nolan added. "Since we knew it was only going to be a couple of weeks of the season, we wanted to go out there and do our best and win every game we can."

Those seniors can score, too. Nolan had four 3-pointers, two in each half, while 9 of Van Eekeren's game-high 14 points came in the third quarter, when Benet pulled away for good. That included a dunk, preceded by a big block on the other end of the floor.

The part that's too bad is the fact that those seniors were once grade schoolers, hoping to play varsity basketball someday. On Tuesday, the only fans in attendance were parents - no kids. But they can still be an inspiration.

"When I was a kid, I came to all the Benet games, and I learned so much from my brother and all the kids who played in the past," Nolan said.

"Being a part of this program is an honor," Hennessy added. "We all work hard and want the best for each other, so even without fans, creating our own energy, it's what we've got to do."