Boys Basketball: Benet takes down St Patrick

Updated: February 10, 2012 11:34PM

Representing a big part of Benet’s immediate successful past, junior forward Pat McInerney is well aware of the role he has had to take to help lead an inexperienced group.

Friday night against St. Patrick, McInerney showed why he’s a big part of the Redwings’ success in the immediate present and future.

Just over a month back from a wrist injury that forced him to miss 13 games, McInerney’s team-high 22 points helped stave off a late charge from St. Patrick in a 61-56 Redwings’ victory in Lisle.

Carrying a one-point lead into the break after seeing an 11-point first-half lead dissipate thanks to the efforts of St. Patrick guard Royale Ewing, Benet picked up where it left off after the first quarter -- its defense.

After allowing only four Shamrock points in the game’s first eight minutes while racing out to an 11-point advantage, the Redwings began the second half on a 17-5 run to build the lead back up to 13 points.

“We just wanted a lot of energy. In the second quarter, we kind of let up defensively,” said McInerney, who also pulled down nine rebounds. “That’s where we turned it on at the beginning of the third quarter. Our defense turned into offense. (Sophomore center) Sean (O’Mara), everyone made great passes to me. I just got the easy stuff, the layups.”

St. Patrick (12-8, 3-3 East Suburban Catholic) clawed its way back into the game in the second quarter in large part to Ewing.

Ewing had nine of his game-high 24 points in the second quarter as the Shamrocks turned their 11-point deficit at the end of the first quarter into their first lead of the night, a one-point lead late in the second quarter.

Two free throws from O’Mara put the Redwings back on top 21-20 and they would never trail again.

“I thought we played good defense throughout the game. I think they’re an explosive team,” Benet coach Gene Heidkamp said of St. Patrick. “I think they have a lot of weapons. They play very well together, so they’re difficult to guard.

“I thought our start to the game and our start to the third quarter were big keys for us to be able to get the win. I thought we played pretty well at the start of both of those quarters. We were able to play well enough in the third quarter to give ourselves a little bit of cushion.”

Benet’s five starters combined to score all 61 of its points on the night, with four of them finishing the game in double figures -- paced by McInerney’s big night, a night Heidkamp called McInerney’s best of the season.

O’Mara and senior Griffin Hanekamp each scored 13 points, while senior Joe Schuesler added 10 for Benet (17-5, 3-2 East Suburban Catholic).

“We had four guys in double figures. You get four guys in double figures, you got a chance to be successful,” Heidkamp said.

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