Boys Basketball: Brayden Fagbemi, No. 1 Benet have answered all challenges, now aim for first IHSA state title

Gene Heidkamp’s Benet basketball team has done almost nothing but win this season.

It’s the one loss, though, that sticks with him – in a good way.

Four hours after knocking off Joliet West at the Pontiac Holiday Tournament in December, the Redwings dug themselves a 20-point hole against Simeon.

“Second half, our guys showed a lot of resilience,” Heidkamp said. “We were down one and had a chance to tie it on the last possession. That was a turning point. We went toe-to-toe with the No. 1 team in the state in all classes. I thought the guys answered the challenge.”

The Redwings have indeed answered every challenge this season up to this point.

Winners of 18 consecutive games since that three-point loss to Simeon, Benet (34-1) was ranked No. 1 in the final Associated Press Class 4A poll. The Redwings survived a major scare against Geneva in a sectional final, and are back at state for the third time in the last 10 years.

Benet, which like every Class 4A semifinalist seeks its first state title, will play New Trier (31-4) in the first semifinal in Champaign at 2:30 p.m. Friday. The Class 4A final is set for 7:15 p.m. Saturday.

Benet opened eyes in December with its win over Joliet West and Michigan State recruit Jeremy Fears Jr. at Pontiac. The Redwings further cemented themselves as a legit title contender with a wire-to-wire 67-53 win over Kenwood in January at the When Sides Collide Shootout.

“I think we were seen as the underdogs, but after beating those top programs we were finally recognized as one of the top teams in the state,” Benet 6-foot senior point guard Brayden Fagbemi said. “Being able to prove ourselves day in and day out set us up for this.”

No player epitomizes that underdog profile more than Fagbemi.

He received modest playing time last year behind an all-conference point guard. Not recruited heavily, Fagbemi committed to Division III Johns Hopkins.

That looks like a steal now. Fagbemi is the maestro of Benet’s offense, averaging 11.6 points and 4.0 assists with a 3-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio while shooting 44.8% from 3-point range. Fagbemi made Joliet West’s pressure defense a non-factor in the December win, and he had the putback basket with 1.3 seconds left of the one-point win over Geneva.

“He’s meant everything to our team,” Heidkamp said. “Brayden is a really good ballhandler, he can shoot from the perimeter and create off the bounce and can create shots for others. He’s very athletic for his size, he is quick and he jumps well. He has really brought another dimension to this team.”

Fagbemi is one of a three-pronged attack that makes Benet go.

Niko Abusara, a 6-foot-5 senior and Dartmouth recruit, averages 11.9 points and 6.0 rebounds per game. Brady Kunka, a 6-foot-3 senior, is Benet’s leading scorer at 13.3 per game and shoots 37% from the 3-point line. Andy Nash, a 6-foot-4 senior, has made a team-high 58 3s.

“I wouldn’t trade those three for any three players in the state,” Heidkamp said. “They all bring unique pieces that mesh together. Similar to the 2015 team they all can handle it and shoot it from the perimeter, and are interchangeable. We have six guys that have had double-digit games. They sacrifice individually and do it for the benefit of the team.”

New Trier is a team Benet is familiar with, despite no head-to-head matchup.

The two teams were on opposite ends of the bracket at Pontiac. Heidkamp said this week that the two teams hung out together in Pontiac at Wally’s. Benet played New Trier at Pontiac last season, and twice this past summer.

The Trevians, making their first state appearance since 2005, are led by 6-foot-4 senior guard and Cornell recruit Jake Fiegen, who averages 20.2 points and 5.9 rebounds per game and on Monday became the school’s all-time leading scorer. No other New Trier player averages in double figures.

“He’s their go-to guy, so being able to take him away will be key,” Fagbemi said. “They have a similar style to us. They are very tough and play with a lot of grit.”

Benet with two wins can achieve what not even the program’s great clubs with NBA star Frank Kaminsky did and add to Heidkamp’s sterling legacy.

He’s won 360 games in 15 seasons at Benet, reaching 20 wins in all but the 2021 shortened season over the last 14 seasons.

“It’s a once-in-a-life opportunity. To win state would be a dream come true,” Fagbemi said. “For the program, it’s something our coaching staff deserves this year and the past 15 seasons. It’s something we owe them as players putting their trust in us. As long as we play together we think we can do it.”