Back in late December, the Benet Academy Redwings boys basketball team partook in the Pontiac Holiday Tournament. After a strong showing and placing Second in the tournament, the Redwings have almost completely maintained this echelon of performance for the past few weeks.

Following a two-week hiatus from play, the Redwings had a troubling 76-73 loss on the road against St. Patrick. This defeat most likely can be ascribed to the fact that the Shamrocks participated in two games during the Redwing’s fortnight without any games. This mishap away from the home crowd necessitated a successful result in Benet’s next match up.

Fortunately, the Redwings were able to swing back into rhythm with a 54-44 win over Rockford Auburn. This crucial triumph initiated the much needed confidence boost that would serve Benet well in the future.

The very next day, Benet battled Oak Park-River Forest for their third consecutive road game since the Pontiac Holiday Tournament. The Redwings came out with a narrow victory of 50-49, and looked forward to a well-deserved game on home turf to end their week. Sadly, this home court advantage did not aid the Redwings as much as was hoped, and they fell to Marist in a 49-45 home matchup.

The Redwings, who currently are ranked 24th in the state, are entering a critical stage in their season. With the final regular season game of the year less than a month away, these next few games will determine where Benet places in the state tournament.