Boys basketball: Brayden Fagbemi’s big play helps Benet avoid Geneva upset attempt

BARTLETT – He just had to grab the ball and put it back up and in. Benet’s Brayden Fagbemi made the biggest play of the game to save the top-ranked Redwings’ season and state title hopes and he couldn’t really remember all the details, just what was at stake in the eventual 35-34 win.

With third-seeded Geneva clinging to a surprising 34-33 lead in the waning seconds of the Class 4A sectional championship March 3 at Bartlett, the Benet senior point guard drove the lane and dished off to Nikola Abusara, who makes that shot “99 times out of 100.” But the layup didn’t go in.

Fagbemi grabbed the rebound and soared for the game-winning basket with only 1.3 seconds left on the clock.

“It was just instincts,” said Fagbemi, who had a pair of 3-pointers in the first half and then did not score again until the end for Benet (33-1). “I saw the ball and I knew I had to go get it to win the game. I just got the ball and put it in.”

Asked how he grabbed the offensive rebound in traffic and got to the rim for the winning basket, Fagbemi said he wasn’t sure how many defenders were in his way.

“My mind was just on the basket. I don’t know if it was contested or not. I’m betting it was, but I was focusing on the rim,” he said.

The Redwings needed a great final play after a 25-win Vikings team gave them all they could handle. Geneva slowed down the game’s pace and played superb defense, trailing only 7-6 after one quarter and 29-23 after three quarters. With seniors Michael Lawrence, Tanner Dixon and Jimmy Rasmussen all delivering big-time baskets in the second half, the Vikings drew even at 30-30 after a driving score from Dixon, who scored all nine of his points in the second half.

Benet countered with a 3-pointer from Brady Kunka for a 33-30 lead with 3:27 left to play. The resilient Vikings didn’t flinch. Dixon scored to close to within 33-32 with 2:30 to play and then put the underdogs on top 34-33 with less than a minute to go with a nifty move to the rim. Dixon’s final basket came after the Redwings missed two shots on their previous possession.

Benet called a timeout. Fagbemi made a nice move to the basket before dishing off to Abusara, who had a game-high 13 points but couldn’t quite finish that play.

“I was happy,” Fagbemi said after the game. “I trust him to make that layup. He’s going to make it 99 times out of 100. The only time he misses, I’ve got to be there to clean it up. I think just knowing that we had it in us. They’re a really good team. They played really well and made their shots. At the end, we did just enough to win. Survive and move on.”

For the Vikings, it was a tough way to fall, but also proof that the program knows it can play with anyone.

“I thought we played them tough. To hold them to 35 points with their shooting. I thought the kids executed the game plan,” Geneva coach Scott Hennig said. “I thought we made some plays down the stretch, hit some shots. That drive at the end by Tanner Dixon was outstanding.

“I told the kids they’re gonna reflect back on this. We won 25 games, a regional championship. We won our Christmas tournament. … We went 53 days without losing [from December into January]. I couldn’t be more proud. Especially these seniors. All their hard work and dedication. I think this game showed that Geneva basketball continues to be a very strong program.”

Redwings coach Gene Heidkamp agreed.

“Let me just start off by saying Geneva’s an excellent team,” Heidkamp said after claiming his fifth sectional championship since 2010. “They’re extremely well-coached and their kids played their hearts out and made big-time plays down the stretch. That game could have gone either way obviously.

“I thought our guys made a big play at the end of the game. They didn’t panic. We called a couple timeouts. Their defense was so good we still couldn’t get anything. Geneva’s an excellent team and their plan was great. The kids executed it. I give them a ton of credit. They really caused us problems.”