Boys basketball: Wright sparks Benet to overtime win over Marist
Benet junior guard Jayden Wright likes the spotlight.
From his eye-catching hair to his colorful game on the court, Wright is a fun player to watch.
His flashy game includes crisp passes, long-range bombs – he’s a self-described Stephen Curry fan – to his drives to the basket.
Sometimes, his defensive game can get lost in all that showy display.
That was part of the case in Friday’s East Suburban Catholic Conference home showdown against Marist.
After drilling two 3-point bombs – both several feet past the arc – early in the fourth quarter to help Benet regain control of the game, Wright, a well-known defensive player, took a key charge on the baseline.
Laying on the court, the 5-foot-11 Wright pumped his fists and energized the crowd with his enthusiasm.
“I play with a lot of emotion, so when that happened, I was pumped because those were big plays in the game,” Wright said of his three-play game-turning sequence. “I just want to do anything to help us win. I think I did that in those plays. I was happy with that. I put my body on the line every time. I’m trying get a charge every game this season.”
Riding that momentum, Benet played strong in the final minutes to pull out a scintillating 74-66 overtime win in Lisle.
Wright and senior guard Blake Fagbemi both finished with 19 points, Colin Stack added 14 and Daniel Pauliukonis had 13. Marist junior guard Adoni Vassilakis had a memorable performance with a game-high 24 points and Rokas Zilys tallied 15.
Wright turned the game around to open the fourth quarter with his pair of 3s – sandwiched around an Edvardas Stasys basket – that brought the crowd to its feet. His key charge came following his second 3 of the quarter, then he drilled a third 3 for a 56-50 lead with 3:51 left in the fourth.
Wright joked that he’s earned the approval of Benet coach Gene Heidkamp to launch NBA-like 3s.
“I was just trying to make winning plays,” Wright said. “It doesn’t have to be just scoring, whether that’s shooting, passing or defending. I take some bad shots, but coach knows I can make them and he trusts me.”
Wright, who is averaging 12.3 points per game, is starting to attract attention from several colleges, including from several Ivy League schools and Bradley.
Wright, a veteran with big-game varsity experience, admitted he’s locked in this season.
“I feel more confident,” Wright said. “The game has definitely slowed down a lot more for me.”
Pauliukonis, an SIU recruit, struggled for most of the game, but he suddenly started finding the bottom of the net in the four-minute overtime. The 6-9 senior forward canned two 3s for eight points, while Stack added two buckets in a four-possession swing that put the game out of reach.
“I had a pretty slow start and couldn’t hit shots, but I kept playing and tried to get in the flow,” Pauliukonis said. “I just needed more time. Every game is different. In the end, we won the game and played as a team. It feels great, especially in overtime when it started to fall for me.”
The Redwings (6-1, 2-0) struggled with turnovers and perimeter defense, while Vassilaskis dominated most of the game with his herky-jerky moves and pinpoint shooting, but Marist (7-1, 0-1) struggled without 6-7 star junior Stephen Brown still sidelined. Marist and Benet split last season’s series, both one-point victories for each team.
“I thought our kids were resilient and kept playing hard,” Heidkamp said. “All three games went to the final possession (in regulation). They have five guys who can score at all time and that can hurt you off the dribble. We got enough stops in overtime in the last two minutes to get some separation. It was a great team win.”