Benton reaches first title game
Rangers take down Byron; will face Chicago Phillips for the 2A crown Saturday
03/07/2024
BY JACK BULLOCK
CHAMPAIGN – For head coach Ron Winemiller and his Benton Rangers the ultimate goal is within reach.

This long-standing successful basketball program has filled multiple trophy cases throughout its 100-plus years of its existence with regular season and postseason hardware.

However there is one major championship trophy missing from the shelves.

On Thursday afternoon, the Rangers took a step towards the ultimate goal.

Benton used its defense to cause the Byron Tigers offensive troubles and did more than enough offensively to pull away at the end of its 50-42 semifinal win.

The Rangers will now face Chicago Wendell Phillips, who knocked off Williamsville in the other semifinal.

The title game is slated for Saturday at 1 pm where the brass ring awaits.

First team AP all-state selection 6-8 junior Docker Tedeschi scored 14-points, grabbed 10-rebounds and blocked six shots by Byron.

However the big shots and huge made free throws late in the game came from senior Isaac Billington.

The veteran guard stepped up with 18-points, including 7-of-8 free throws.

Billington closed out the game by nailing down 5-of-6 charity shots in the final :45.3 of the fourth quarter as the Rangers are now 32-3 on the season and a victory away from the first state championship for the program.

Senior Evan Munoz scored eight-points for the Rangers and junior Grant Owens added six.

Senior guard Luke Melvin scored three-points before having to leave the game with an ankle injury with 3:19 left in the second quarter.

As they have previously during this successful campaign, the Rangers' reserves stepped forward with another big time effort.

Junior Kyle Thomas stepped in as did sophomore Nolan Schafer.

The dream of winning a state championship for the second time in the school year in boy's sports ended on Thursday night for Byron and head coach Matt Huels.

The Tigers went 14-0 in winning the Class 3A football championship back in November and could've joined Carlyle (1988-89) as champions in both sports.

But the Rangers kept that from happening as they sent the Tigers into the third place game.

Byron responded with a 62-48 win over Williamsville to take home the third place hardware.

Six-three senior Carson Buser led the Tigers with 16-points and teammate senior Ryan Tucker added 10 for the squad that finished their fine season at 31-3.

Coach Huels can point to his team's inability to score as the downfall.

The Tigers hit just 30.4 percent from the floor (17-of-56) with many of the point-blank shots around the rim failing to hit the mark.

Tedeschi proved to be an intimidating presence in the paint.

“Tonight just wasn't our night around the rim. Obviously with Docker (Tedeschi) down there as an intimidating force altered some shots,” said Coach Huels. “But we get another opportunity (third place game) and we will be one of two teams that get a chance to win their final game.”

Six-three senior Jack Hiveley finished with eight-points.

Tucker, who averaged 23.4 points a game coming into the game, hit just 4-of-16 shots from the field while Hiveley wasn't any better, connecting on only 3-of-17 attempts.

Byron was just 1-of-13 from the 3-point line.

“They (Byron) missed a lot of easy shots around the rim and I think this guy (Tedeschi) had a lot to do with that,” said Coach Winemiller. “We did a good job of moving the pieces around in real time.”

Benton was significantly better in all columns.

With Billington and Tedeschi carrying most of the offensive load, the Rangers were 18-of-39 from the field.

(CONTINUED)
Melvin hit his only attempt, a 3-pointer from the right wing, to give the Rangers an early 7-1 lead.

Seven of Tedeschi's points came in the opening minutes with a 3-pointer sandwiched around two inside baskets.

Munoz hit his first of two 3-pointers for a 19-10 lead with :31 left in the quarter.

But a couple of scores by Byron closed the gap.

Sophomore Caden Considine, who was the top running back on the championship football squad, ended up with seven-points for the game and he scored on a drive to the basket before a Buser steal turned into a Tucker driving reverse lay in for a 19-14 Benton lead after the first horn.

With Tedeschi scoring again in the lane a two additional 3-pointers, one each by Munoz and Billington, the Rangers led 30-23 at halftime.

The Tigers needed to be better offensively in the second quarter but hit just 4-of-14 shots and committed three turnovers.

Losing Melvin for the rest of the game hurt the Rangers but the rest of his teammates picked up the slack.

“These kids have the utmost faith and trust in each other and when Luke (Melvin) went down there wasn't any waver that Kyle (Thomas) wasn't going to come in and hold down the fort and do a great job,” said Coach Winemiller. “It's their ability to believe in one another and believe in themselves I think is why we're still playing.”

Six-consecutive points to start the second half gave Byron a lift.

Hiveley scored twice in the run and Tucker also added a score.

A fast-break by Hiveley off of a steal by sophomore Case Newton forced Coach Winemiller to burn a timeout at 30-29 with 5:44 left in the third.

The Rangers regrouped with scores by Owens on an assist from Munoz followed by a basket by Tedeschi and two free throws by Billington.

But two baskets by Buser, the second one on a three-point play will being fouled sent the teams to the fourth quarter at 36-35 Benton.

The only Byron lead in the second half came less than a minute into the final period.

Tucker scored on a drive in the lane for a 37-36 lead at the 7:19 mark.

Benton, as they have throughout the season and tournament run, responded.

A huge play came on a Tedeschi assist to Owens for a score in th eland that was followed by yet another Billington shot from the left baseline to give the Rangers back the advantage.

Tedeschi added two more big offensive plays with a 3-pointer from the right wing and another cut to the basket by Owens where the 6-8 junior got the assist.

The Owens basket maid it 45-40 with 2:53 left.

Then defensively, Benton made a stand.

Tedeschi came up with a big blocked shot and another turnover by the Tigers set the stage for Billington and his parade to the foul line.

The senior guard scored the final five points for the Rangers, all from the stripe, as Coach Winemiller and Crew are a title game triumph away from history.

“He (Billington) is definitely the guy we want to see at the line in that spot (late in the game) because he has worked hard,” said Coach Winemiller. “This team has worked hard. They spend time in the gym when no one is around. It comes together for me because I have good players.”

Benton will face Phillips, who took care of Williamsville in the other semifinal game.

The Wildcats have a championship trophy in the case at home having won the 1975 Class AA title.

“I told the guys back before we played McLeansboro (Hamilton County) in the regional that it takes some luck. If you look at the last state rankings and there are a lot of teams that were above us and below us that aren't here,” said Coach Winemiller. “You got to get lucky. It's about playing people at the right time. We've worked hard but it takes a little bit of luck. I'm happy for these guys because I know how hard they have worked. They have been very vocal about this being their goal this year (state championship game) and now they get to see it come to fruition.”
IHSA 2A State Semifinals
1
2
3
4
-
F
Benton
19
11
06
14
-
50
Byron
14
09
12
07
-
42

Benton (50) Billington 4 1 7-8 18, Owens 3 0 0-0 6, Melvin 0 1 0-0 3, Munoz 1 2 0-0 8, Tedeschi 4 2 0-0 14, Schafer 0 0 0-0 0. 2FG-12/3FG-6/FT-8-12/PF-11.
Byron (42) - Buser 7 0 2-4 16, Tucker 3 1 1-2 10, Newton 0 0 1-2 1, Hiveley 3 0 2-2 8, Kiduff 0 0 0-0 0, Considine 3 0 1-2 7, Aken 0 0 0-0 0. 2FG-16/3FG-1/FT-7-12/PF-14.
Fouled Out – Newton - Byron.
Technical Fouls – None.