Illinois IHSA Class 4A boys basketball championship: live updates, highlights, scores from Benet Academy vs. Marist

Illinois IHSA Class 4A boys basketball championship: live updates, highlights, scores from Benet Academy vs. Marist originally appeared on The Sporting News . Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here .

CHAMPAIGN, Illinois, March 13 — The Marist [Chicago, IL] Redhawks stunned the Benet Academy [Lisle, IL] Redwings, 44-28, to win their first state championship in the Illinois IHSA Class 4A state championship Saturday evening at the State Farm Center. Marist held the nation's No. 17 ranked team in the latest edition of The Sporting News High School Boys Basketball Top 25 to a combined three points in the second and fourth quarters in the game played on the Illinois Fighting Illini's home court.

That included a scoreless second quarter in which the Redhawks built what proved to be an insurmountable 10-point lead headed into the halftime. Benet Academy briefly rallied, starting the second half on a quick 7-0 run, but Marist tightened up and led, 32-25, headed into the final stanza. Then the Redhawks turned up the heat on defense again, and the top-ranked team in the state of Illinois ultimately had no answers.

Marist ends its season at 33-5 while the loss by Benet Academy was only its second of the season, bringing a 35-2 campaign to a close. STREAM: Watch Illinois IHSA boys basketball Class 4A state championship game on the NFHS Network __________ Refresh for updates __________ FINAL — Marist 44, Benet Academy 28 __________ Benches are now being emptied with all the subs getting in for some court time. Benet has waved the white flag.