Undermanned Benet squad drops nonconference contest

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WHEATON -- Neither team had this game figured out until the final minute in Wheaton. Five times the lead changed between Benet and Wheaton North during Tuesday night's fourth quarter. Both had already built and gave up 10-point leads.

If the Redwings looked a little fatigued, maybe it was because they were playing without two of their top three scorers. And it was hard to predict how Wheaton North would play from quarter to quarter, possession to possession.

In the end, Wheaton North hung on for a 72-64 victory that was much closer than the final score indicated. Playing out of conference, it received a nice confidence lift heading toward the postseason, while Benet saw its three-game winning streak end.

"We just stuck with it," said 6-foot-6-inch Wheaton North forward Zach Dungee, who led all scorers with 25 points. "We just played hard, ran (our) offense and we just finished."

The Falcons (7-15) finally gained some separation around the 1:10 mark, when 6-4 sophomore forward Jeff Schalk grabbed an offensive rebound, hit the shot underneath, drew the foul and completed a three-point play that gave Wheaton North a 66-62 lead.

Benet (10-13) then missed the front end of two separate one-and-ones in the final 55.9 seconds.

"It was just one of those things where it was just up and down all night, a game of runs," Benet coach Gene Heidkamp said. "The third quarter was a difficult quarter for us. They really jumped on us. We threw the ball around a little bit. We didn't guard -- in the second half they really exploited us on the defensive end."

After beating Wheaton Academy, Nazareth and St. Francis, Benet was feeling good about itself. That's a product of its own internal improvements and a more manageable schedule down the stretch in February.

But the job became more difficult without 6-8 center Joe Meyerhoff, who was sick and didn't make the trip to Wheaton, and Phil Hayes, a lead guard who was in street clothes on the sidelines nursing a foot fracture. Naperville North -- which will face Benet in an opening round game of the Oswego East Sectional -- sent its staff to scout on Tuesday night but the game didn't necessarily reveal a complete picture.

The Redwings like to work inside-out offensively, and they missed Meyerhoff's ability to draw an extra defender and pass out of the post. Heidkamp hopes the senior will return for Friday night's home game against Marian Catholic. The return of Hayes is uncertain at this point.

Austin Wagner hit four 3-pointers and scored 15 points to lead Benet. Point guard Dave Sobolewski added 14 points but wore down under the constant pressure in the second half. Wheaton North started cutting off and closing on those drive-and-kicks.

"We started playing really, really good team ball and today (you) don't want to make excuses but not having Meyerhoff cause he's sick -- it's a big thing. We still thought we could have won and we're really disappointed," Wagner said. "We just kind of dropped the ball in the second half."

Around this time last year, Wheaton North traveled to Lisle and blew out Benet by 23 points. The Falcons would go on to earn a share of the DuPage Valley Conference title. But nine seniors were listed on the postseason roster. Six of them combined for 54 of Wheaton North's 59 points against Benet that night.

On this night the Falcons received 26 points off the bench -- 11 each from Matt Matosian and Chris Bradley -- and a step in the right direction during a rebuilding year.

"Offensively, we were (not) hitting anything from the perimeter first half. I thought there was a nice concerted effort by everyone here to try to get to the rim in the second half, get a few layups. That helped break things open a little bit," Wheaton North coach Jim Nazos said. "It's a great win for us here right now. (We've) been struggling (to get) wins. But there's been (effort and) all the things you want to see as a coach. This time of the year you just want to keep taking steps."