It’s funny how things work out sometimes. On December 30, had you asked Babbi Barriero and Ashley Graham if they envisioned their respective girls basketball teams would be playing against each other for the Class 4A state championship less than three months later, they would have both said they sure hoped so.

In a Class 4A third-place game between two programs with a combined six state championships dating back to 2006, Bolingbrook held Benet scoreless in the final two-plus minutes to pull out a 57-54 victory in the final of 12 state games across four classes.

No. 1 ranked Stevenson held off No. 2 Benet Academy 36-28 Friday in the Class 4A girls basketball state semifinals at Redbird Arena in Normal. The Patriots will take on Barrington in Saturday’s state championship game.

Presenting the 2021-2022 DuPage County All-Area Girls Basketball Team

For the first time in two years, the Illinois High School Association girls basketball Class 3A and 4A state tournaments are set to tipoff on Friday.

Margaret Temple carried Benet’s supersectional plaque into a wild mosh pit of a celebration with student fans.She was in tears as Benet ran off the court to the locker room.

Lenee Beaumont stood alone at center court in the final seconds of Thursday’s game and glanced up at the scoreboard, with plenty to ponder.Benet’s junior guard could have been replaying an uncharacteristic flurry of missed free throws that set the stage for a tense finish. She perhaps reflected on exorcising sectional final demons from two years ago.

Morgan Demos considers it her fallback. Benet, collectively, probably does too.The Redwings can be a streaky shooting team. Rebounding, though, is a constant, and it starts with their 6-foot-2 senior center and Navy commit.

Samantha Trimberger is the perfect fit on Benet.The 6-foot junior provides length defensively, and can be a playmaker. She has the ability to finish near the rim. Above all else, Trimberger is an exceptional rebounder.She showcased that particular skill in a big way Thursday.

In a final playoff tune-up with fellow state power Montini, Benet shook off some early offensive struggles and a 7-point deficit. The Redwings never could quite shake the Broncos, but were able to come away with a 57-48 nonconference girls basketball win in Lisle Wednesday night.

Lenee Beaumont didn’t get too discouraged when she saw two 3-point shots swirl in and out Monday.

Benet junior point guard Lenee Beaumont casually scored basket early in the second quarter in Monday’s game against Waukesha West.Nothing fancy, just a typical Beaumont two-pointer which caught the eye of one of her teammates.By that point, Beaumont, one of the elite players in the state, had impacted the game in so many ways, prompting one of her teammates on the bench to blurt out “that’s all day” in reference to Beaumont’s scoring prowess.

Benet sophomore guard Maggie Sularski’s first career varsity start turned out to be memorable in many ways.Sularski buried 3 3-pointers to score all 13 of her points in the second half to spark the Redwings to a 66-55 win over Marist in the third-place game of the Morton College Girls Basketball Christmas Tournament in Cicero.

Benet and Geneva will always be linked together in Illinois girls basketball history.Over the past decade, in Class 4A, the Redwings and Vikings are considered royalty in the sport.Both teams recently won their first state title in program history, and doubled their pleasure with back-to-back championships.Again this season, the Redwings and Vikings are among the top teams in contention for a 4A state title.

Basketball tournaments can often lead to a mixed bag of results for most teams.Playing multiple games in matter of a few days against diverse opponents tests the strength and ability of teams to adapt to difficult situations.Benet discovered that on Tuesday night.

Emilia Sularski set the tone for Benet’s hot-shooting night, drilling 5 of her 6 3-pointers in the first half to power Benet to a 71-61 victory over Naperville North in Lisle.Sularski, who was starting due to five Benet players missing the game, shot 6-for-10 from beyond the arc for a career-high 24 points. Time after time, the Huskies (12-1) left Sularski wide open to launch a 3-pointer.

Ranked No. 2 in the most recent Daily Herald girls basketball Top 20, visiting Benet Academy wanted to keep its momentum going strong Saturday at St. Viator before the holiday tournaments begin next week. And the Redwings did just that as an 8-point run to end the first half staked Benet to a 29-15 lead over the Lions in East Suburban Catholic Conference action. Benet (10-1, 2-0) built its biggest lead at 40-21 late in the third quarter before posting a 53-40 victory

Downers Grove North, Naperville North and Benet are among the DuPage County girls basketball teams playing well to start the season.

Benet’s Emma Webb provided a little of everything, but mostly energy that lit a fire under the Redwings, who overcame an early 9-3 deficit to rout Lake Zurich 51-21 on Saturday and capture the Naperville Central Tip-Off Tournament title.

Here’s a look at the girls basketball season in the East Suburban Catholic Conference.