Girls Basketball: Indiana recruit Lenee Beaumont set to step in as Benet’s vocal leader

Redwings’ senior guard gets valuable experience at USA Basketball’s U18 selection camp

Benet basketball star Lenee Beaumont let her performance do the talking during the first three years of her high school career.

That will change during her upcoming senior season.

Benet coach Joe Kilbride is demanding the 6-foot guard be more of a vocal leader.

“Lenee will step into a different role,” Kilbride said. “She’s kind of a quiet kid, but we had some seniors last year that were very good vocal leaders.

“We talked about how Lenee has to step into more of an on-court vocal leadership role, not just with her play but with her voice. That’s another skill that she’s working to develop and she’s got a pretty big bag of skills already.”

The Indiana-bound Beaumont got a great opportunity to work on her communication when she was invited to USA Basketball’s U18 selection camp in Colorado Springs in early June. Only 30 players – 15 from the Class of 2022 and 15 from the Class of 2023 – participated in the five-day training session, which determined the American roster for the 2022 FIBA U18 Americas Championship in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Beaumont was not picked for the team, which cruised to the gold medal. But she relished the experience.

“I knew it was going to be really difficult to make the team, especially with a bunch of older girls with a bunch of experience who have been there before,” Beaumont said. “Several of them had already won a gold medal.

“At the very least, I just wanted to give myself a chance, which I thought I did. I felt like I played decently well. It was a great experience and I enjoyed it so much.”

Playing with and against such elite competition gave Beaumont an insight into what it takes to excel at the highest levels. She’ll take those lessons into her final high school season.

“I learned about the importance of communication and constantly being vocal,” Beaumont said. “There wasn’t a minute where the gym was silent. It was constantly loud, which was a huge thing.

“The attention to detail because we’re trying to win a gold medal. Everyone there had the same goal, so all the little things that matter, like setting a good screen or cutting hard to the basket, I feel like I’ll be able to help my teammates out.”

Beaumont, who led the Redwings to a fourth-place finish at the Class 4A state finals last season, will have to do much more of the heavy lifting next winter after the graduation of star center Morgan Demos, who is now at Navy.

Benet Academy’s Lenee Beaumont drives against Bolingbrook's Persais Williams in the Class 4A state 3rd place game at Redbird Arena at Illinois State University in Normal on Friday, March 4, 2022.

For the first time, Beaumont is the only Division I recruit on Benet’s roster and thus will not be sharing the spotlight with anyone. She’s ready for the added responsibility.

“I’m willing to do basically anything,” Beaumont said. “The main thing I need to do now is to continue to try to bring positive energy to practice every day.

“Even when I’m not having my best day, I need to bring good energy and always have a smile on my face because they’re all going to be looking to see how I react to situations. If I put my head down, they’re all going to put their head down, too. I’ve got to make sure that I’m confident even if I’m struggling.”

Beaumont competed at the USA Basketball camp with a broken nose suffered when she took an elbow to the face during an AAU game in April. She had surgery upon returning from Colorado Springs and missed only a week of Benet’s summer league sessions.

“She wanted to play the same night she had surgery and I wouldn’t let her,” Kilbride said.

“She’s gotten hit a few times and she seems fine. She’s had a good summer.”

Indeed, Beaumont said she is 100% and expects the Redwings will have a good winter.

“I think we’re going to be a little underestimated, obviously, because of how much talent we lost,” Beaumont said. “I really do think we can make a good run in the playoffs and possibly give ourselves another chance at state, which is my big goal this year.

“I really would like to get back there.”

Beaumont, senior center Samantha Trimberger and senior guard Sadie Sterbenz, who helped Benet’s girls soccer team to second place in the Class 2A state finals in June, will form the team’s leadership core. Junior twin guards Maggie and Emilia Sularski are primed for breakout seasons after playing well as sophomores.

Beaumont is the catalyst.

“It’s a new jigsaw puzzle we’ve got to put together,” Kilbride said. “It helps when you start with Beaumont. You’ve got a kid like Lenee, you’re a smarter coach.”