PONTIAC–Benet seniors Niko Abusara and Brayden Fagbemi can both score, but they also have an extra ability that in a high school player: that knack of seeing a few steps ahead of everyone else to create easy or open shot opportunities for their teammates.

The No. 7 Redwings started a little slow in their 78-56 win against Oak Park in the first round of the 91st Pontiac Holiday Tournament on Wednesday. Patrick Walsh (15 points) and Sam Driscoll (18 points) provided a huge lift off the bench in the second quarter.

Turns out Abusara, Fagbemi and fellow senior Brady Kunka were key to that lift.

“The passing of Niko and Brayden makes it easy,” Driscoll said. “They are great playmakers and Brady consumes so much of the defense’s attention. We were able to come in and take open shots.”

The Redwings took control of the game with a 19-0 run in the second quarter.

“[Driscoll and Walsh] really stepped up,” Heidkamp said. “We know those guys can play and we have depth on our team. It’s kind of a well-kept secret.”

Fagbemi led Benet with 15 points, seven assists and seven rebounds. Kunka added 16 points and five rebounds.

Very few teams managed to play games last week due to the weather. Benet, which was in Arizona, picked up three wins. But the trip home was chaotic.

“We had to leave a day early and get everyone home on four different flights,” Heidkamp said. “But it was beneficial for our team overall.”

“Arizona was awesome,” Driscoll said. “We played some great teams and it helped us grow.”

Christian Marshall led Oak Park (3-7) with 16 points and big man Alex Vincent added 11. Promising sophomore Justen Bowen scored 10.

Benet will face Bloom in the quarterfinals on Tuesday.

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The Chicago Bulls take on the Milwaukee Bucks as betting underdogs on Wednesday night at the United Center.

The Chicago Bulls battle with their rivals, the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday, two nights after admittedly “taking the Houston Rockets for granted.” The Bulls stand a bit better as we currently look at the standings after a nice three-game win streak over three Eastern Conference opponents, but with some of the big names in the East looming on the schedule, dropping a game to the Rockets was unacceptable.

A bounce back tonight would alleviate some of the ugliness of that loss, but as we know, taking down Milwaukee is no small task. The Chicago Bulls currently sit as a five-point underdog at the time of writing, and while that respect to the Bulls does give me some confidence, the Bucks are on a 3-game skid of their own, losing to Cleveland, Brooklyn and Boston. They are certainly going to be hungry to snap that streak and push the Bulls further down the standings.

After some time off for the holiday season, I am back and ready to get this thing into the green as previously promised. Our last pick before my break saw our nasty streak end, and tonight, I’ve got a Bulls autoplay that I have committed to playing each and every time the situation arises. Let’s get both the blog and the Chicago Bulls hot and rolling into 2023. Best of luck, see red, and GO BULLS!!

2022 Bulls Best Bet Record: 10-15 (1W – Ended 6L Streak)

Nikola Vucevic Over 1.5 3-Pointers (Sportsbook odds may vary)

I mentioned in the intro that this has become an autoplay for me. Meaning, that whenever the Chicago Bulls and Milwaukee Bucks meet, I will take Vucevic to hit a couple of threes each and every time, and while it certainly isn’t a lock, I fully expect this bet to hit at least three out of the four meetings between these two teams, making it a profitable bet across a full season.

Before I continue, I should note that it is imperative if you are able, to do some price shopping. I saw one popular sportsbook list this at (-150) odds, while another had it at (-130). I typically don’t like to bet a player prop in the area of (-150) and would strongly advise you find a better price, but even at that number, I think this is still a good bet to make.

The reason for this elevating to an autoplay for me in short, is because Vucevic, a player that averages about 4.5 three point attempts per game as a member of the Bulls, and averaging exactly 4.6 per game this season, sees his attempt average skyrocket when playing Milwaukee. Across 11 games with Chicago, including playoffs, Vucevic averages 7.5 three point attempts per game. In over half of those games he has attempted at least eight three point shots.

His three point log against Milwaukee is listed below:

Regular Season:(4/30/21) 1-9(1/21/22) 2-7(3/4/22) 2-4(3/22/22) 4-5(4/5/22) 1-6(11/23/22) 4-10Playoff Series:(GM1) 2-10(GM2) 4-8(GM3) 3-9(GM4) 1-6(GM5) 3-9

As you can see, this bet is no lock, but with at least two makes in eight out of eleven games, the success rate lands north of 70% on this bet and Vucevic averages 2.5 makes in these games, up from his average of 1.7 in totality in a a Bulls uniform.

The Bucks have made a choice to keep Vucevic out of the lane, and have dared him to hit shots. Of course, Vucevic could have a rough shooting night, but as mentioned the reason this has become an autoplay is because of the volume of attempts that he sees in this matchup.

I strongly suggest you get some action on Vooch and consider taking a sprinkle on him to go over 2.5 as well at some nice plus-money odds.

Best of luck, see red and GO BULLS!!

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The Chicago Bears needed depth in the secondary

The Chicago Bears are trying to get through the next two weeks without putting their original starting team, minus the players they traded away, on the injured reserve. The 3-12 squad placed two defensive backs, Jaylon Johnson and Kindle Vildor, on injured reserve before their loss to the Buffalo Bills on Christmas Eve. That put the two in company with their secondary teammate Eddie Jackson, who’s been on injured reservations for a few weeks.

According to a statement by the Bears, they added defensive back Greg Stroman Jr. to the practice squad. That will give little depth to the Bears on secondary as they play meaningful games the next two weeks to find out how early they draft this spring.

Stroman earned first-team All-ACC honors during his time with the Virginia Tech Hokies. The Washington Commanders drafted him in the seventh round of the 2018 draft. Stroman spent time with the Buffalo Bills and Los Angeles Rams before the Chicago Bears signed him in April. They waived him in August.

Stroman has appeared in 20 games during his NFL career. He’s recorded one interception, one forced fumble, and 38 tackles. Those stats came in his rookie season.

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The Bears would be assured the first or second pick in the draft if they lose Sunday against the Lions and in their ensuing season finale against the Vikings, but quarterback Justin Fields is preoccupied with finding some late success in an otherwise dreary season.

As the Bears sit 3-12 with eight consecutive losses, Fields sees value in steering out of the slump.

“Winning this week and winning the last week of the season would be great momentum going into the offseason,” he said Wednesday. “The amount of work we put in and just the attitude of everybody in the building, just that positive mindset. … Just the work that we put in during the week and it paying off with a win, that’d definitely be huge.”

Fields has been playing through nagging issues with his left shoulder since separating it in Week 11 against the Falcons, but missed just one game. He also went to the sideline late against the Bills on Saturday after a player stepped on his foot, but he and coach Matt Eberflus said it’s not an issue.

“Feeling good, yeah,” Fields said. “t was just swollen for a couple days, bleeding a little bit, but it’s fine.”

Despite the Bears’ personnel instability, Fields has progressed throughout his second season. His completion percentage (62.3), touchdown percentage (5.4), interception percentage (3.4) and passer rating (88.3) all have improved over his rookie stats. He also became the third quarterback in NFL history to rush for 1,000 yards and is 195 yards away from matching Lamar Jackson’s record of 1,206.

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Psst. Over here. Yeah, you. Let’s huddle in a corner so Bears fans can’t hear what I’m about to whisper.

At the risk of grievous bodily harm, I have a question to ask:

Do NFL rules protecting quarterbacks give the electrifying Justin Fields an unfair advantage when he’s running with the ball?

If this is the end for me, tell my wife and kids I love them.

I’ve described what Fields has done to opposing defenses this season as “almost unfair,” and the times I’ve written that, it’s been in awe of his ability. His speed and ability to change direction have made a very bad Bears season more than palatable. Those skills have quickly made him the biggest sports star in Chicago.

Defenders haven’t been able to stop him in 2022, and the proof of that is in his 1,011 rushing yards, third-most by a quarterback in league history. He set the single-game, regular-season record for rushing yards by a quarterback with 178 against the Dolphins in Week 9. Much was made of the Bills “stopping” Fields last week, but come on. When he runs seven times for 11 yards, as he did against Buffalo, the only people stopping him are Bears coaches and Bears linemen.

League rules allow him to run and hide, almost literally. Defenders are not allowed to hit a ballcarrier (almost always a quarterback) who slides or “gives himself up” at the end of a run. Running backs can slide, too, but don’t. Quarterbacks aren’t defenseless when they’re running the ball, not like they sometimes are in the pocket. They can give a hit and take one, just like running backs can. They choose not to.

All season, I’ve pushed for the Bears to run Fields less to keep him out of harm’s way and to develop his passing. But the more I’ve watched, the more the slide rule seems against the spirit of the game.

In small doses, the rule makes sense. Most quarterbacks don’t want to run and when they do, it’s usually on a scramble after a play breaks down. They slide feet or head first and live to throw another day. Fields, on the other hand, takes off on designed runs or sometimes at the first hint of defensive pressure. This is when the show begins. He can make multiple defenders miss him. Opponents wonder when he’s going to slide, perhaps hesitate a tick and are made to look like fools. There’s no arguing that the threat of a penalty takes the teeth out of meat-eating linebackers and safeties.

When the NFL put the slide rule in effect for the 1985 season, was it trying to protect quarterbacks who sometimes run 15 times a game? No, it was trying to protect owners and their multimillion-dollar investments. It didn’t want a linebacker taking off John Elway’s head. The league would come to enjoy the show that Michael Vick and Lamar Jackson put on with their legs. They were good for business. And now comes Fields, who might end up going where Vick and Jackson couldn’t. He’s that talented.

I’m not proposing a rule change here, just pointing out the inequity when an anomaly like Fields comes along. We know that safeguarding the quarterback, especially the best ones, is one of the league’s major goals. No one wants to watch Nathan Peterman play because Fields got injured – no one except Peterman’s agent (and even then, you wonder).

The Bears’ goal is for this issue to be moot for Fields someday. If and when he gets a good offensive line, and if and when he gets a group of talented receivers, he won’t have to run as much. If he’s as good as the Bears say he is, he’ll be making his name as a quarterback who throws the ball the majority of the time.

For now, though, we get to watch Fields do his thing, even as some of us wonder if something seems off in a sport that’s supposed to involve hitting.

Two weeks ago, Eagles defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh hit Fields after the quarterback went to the ground. Suh wasn’t penalized. He should have been, and Fields complained about it later.

“It’s been too many times I’ve slid and been hit too late and I don’t get the flags,” he said. “I’m going to be on the refs, looking for a call. When I think it’s a flag, I’m going to ask the ref. On Sunday, he said he didn’t think it was a foul. I’m just going to be begging for those calls and hope that I get one in the near future. I felt like I was down, and then I felt a 300-pound guy.”

I can’t emphasize this enough: I love the spectacle Fields puts on. He makes jaws drop, takes breath away and causes grown men to get teary eyed.

But everybody else is playing tackle football, and quarterbacks are playing two-hand touch. Fields wants it both ways, and the rules say he can have it.

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Wednesday, December 28, 2022

NON CONFERENCE

Medina (OH) at Wells, 12:00

BLOOMINGTON / NORMAL

Small Schools

Annawan vs. East Dubuque, 2:00

Olympia vs. Providence-St. Mel, 12:30

Aurora Christian vs. Rock Falls, 11:00

Winnebago vs. Tri-Valley, 9:30a

St. Joseph-Ogden vs. El Paso-Gridley, 4:00

Rockford Lutheran vs. Notre Dame (Quincy), 5:30

Fieldcrest vs. University High (Normal, 7:00

Bloomington Catholic vs. McNamara, 8:30

13th Place Semi-Final, 8:00

13th Place Semi-Final, 5:00

Large Schools

North Chicago vs. Normal, 2:00

North Lawndale vs. Joliet Central, 12:30

Oswego vs. Springfield, 11:00

Harlem vs. Mahomet-Seymour, 9:30a

Sacred Heart-Griffin vs. Bradley-Bourbonnais, 4:00

Wheaton-Warr. South vs. Peoria Central, 5:30

Brother Rice vs. Mesa (AZ), 7:00

Rock Island vs. Romeoville, 8:30

13th Place Semi-Final, 6:30

13th Place Semi-Final, 3:30

CENTRALIA

Marist vs. Cahokia, 8:30a

Wekiva (FL) vs. Kipp (MO), 10:00

Evanston vs. Champaign Central, 12:30

Mt. Vernon vs. Dyett, 2:00

Ritter (MO) vs. Payton, 3:30

Hillwood (TN) vs. Belleville West, 6:15

Centralia vs. Confluence (MO), 7:45

Glenwood vs. Carmel, 9:15

COLLINSVILLE

O’Fallon vs. Mundelein, 10:00

Rockford East vs. Althoff, 4:30

DE KALB

Ogden vs. Dundee-Crown, 1:30

Manley vs. Belvidere North, 12:00

Marshall vs. McHenry, 10:30

Hononegah vs. Plainfield East, 9:00a

DeKalb vs. Geneva, 7:30

Lincoln-Way West vs. Huntley, 6:00

Guilford vs. Phillips, 4:30

East Moline vs. Naperville Central, 3:00

EAST AURORA

DRW Prep vs. Hope Academy, 1:00

Plainfield Central vs. IMSA, 2:35

Downers Grove North vs. Joliet Catholic, 4:10

East Aurora vs. Wheaton Academy, 5:45

EASTLAND

Forreston vs. Amboy, 2:00

West Carroll vs. South Beloit, 3:30

Pecatonia vs. Galena, 5:00

Eastland vs. Byron, 6:30

EFFINGHAM / TEUTOPOLIS

at Teutopolis

Belvidere vs. Oak Lawn, 3:00

St. A thony vs. Lutheran North (MO), 4:30

Dixon vs. Brooks, 6:00

Charleston vs. Teutopolis, 7:30

at Effingham

Mattoon vs. Lincoln-Way East, 3:00

Centennial vs. Newton, 3:00

Knoxville vs. Pleasant Plains, 6:00

Highland vs. Effingham, 7:30

ELGIN

Westminster Christian vs. King, 10:30

Bowen vs. West Chicago, 9:00a

Aurora Central vs. Round Lake, 1:45

Mather vs. Elgin Academy, 12:00

Walther Lutheran vs. Lake View, 4:45

Shepard vs. Waukegan, 3:15

Kennedy vs. Chicago Christian, 8:00

Elgin vs. Raby, 6:30

GOLDEN GATE (FL)

Loyola vs. Seminole (FL), 5:45

GREENVIEW

Grace Christian vs. Fulton, 11:00

Grace Christian vs. TBA

HINSDALE CENTRAL

Glenbard East vs. Morton, 9:30

Willowbrook vs. Oak Forest, 11:00

Lincoln-Way Central vs. Richards, 12:30

Maine South vs. St. Charles East, 2:00

Stevenson vs. Morgan Park, 3:45

Auburn vs. Homewood-Flossmoor, 5:15

Oswego East vs. DePaul, 7:00

Marian Catholic vs. Hinsdale Central, 8:30

IC CATHOLIC / WESTMONT

at Westmont

Latin vs. Elmwood Park, 3:00

South Shore vs. UC-Woodlawn, 4:30

Glenbard South vs. Christ the King, 6:00

Taft vs. Westmont, 7:30

at IC Catholic

Alcott vs. St. Edward, 3:00

Eisenhower vs. Reavis, 4:30

Evergreen Park vs. Catalyst-Maria, 6:00

Fenger vs. IC Catholic, 7:30

JACOBS

Streamwood vs. Johnsburg, 1:30

Jacobs vs. Jefferson, 12:00

Grant vs. Elk Grove, 10:30

Marian Central vs. South Elgin, 9:00a

Barrington vs. Cary-Grove, 7:30

Grayslake Central vs. Bartlett, 6:00

Crystal Lake South vs. Larkin, 4:30

Hoffman Estates vs. Prairie Ridge, 3:00

KANKAKEE

Blue Division

Grant Park vs. Cissna Park, 12:00

Manteno vs. Clifton Central, 9:00a

St. Anne vs. Momence, 3:00

Herscher vs. Petone, 6:00

Maroon Division

Schurz vs. Butler, 10:30

Dunbar vs. Hansberry, 1:30

Lindblom vs. Jefferson (IN), 4:30

Von Stueben vs. Kankakee, 7:30

LA MOILLE

Lowpoint-Washburn vs. DePue, 4:30

Hiawatha vs. LaMoille, 6:00

LA SALLE-PERU

Illinois Valley Central vs. Sherrard, 3:00

LaSalle-Peru vs. Geneseo, 4:30

LITTLE VILLAGE

TBA

MAINE EAST

Jones vs. Bulls Prep, 9:00a

Sandburg vs. Argo, 10:30

Metea Valley vs. Richards (Chgo), 12:00

Sullivan vs. Crane, 1:30

Vernon Hills vs. Niles West, 3:00

Leyden vs. Westinghouse, 4:30

Providence vs. Ridgewood, 6:00

Maine East vs. Addison Trail, 7:30

MARENGO

Genoa-Kingston (BYE)

Woodstock North vs. Richmond-Burton, 10:30

Wauconda vs. Woodstock, 12:00

Sycamore vs. Freeport, 1:30

Stillman Valley vs. Marengo, 3:00

Harvest Christian vs. Rochelle, 4:30

Fenton vs. Grayslake North, 6:00

Rockford Christian vs. Crystal Lake Central, 7:30

MARQUETTE (OTTAWA)

Somonauk vs. Indian Creek, 9:00a

Flanagan-Cornell vs. Gardner-So. Wilmington, 10:3

Dwight vs. St. Bede, 12:00

Putnam County vs. Woodland, 1:30

Lexington vs. Hall, 3:30

Wilmington vs. Earlville, 5:00

Serena vs. Seneca, 6:30

Reed-Custer vs. Marquette, 8:00

NORTH BOONE

Alden-Hebron vs. Harvard, 11:00

North Boone vs. Durand, 12:30

PEKIN

Plainfield South vs. Boylan, 9:00a

Limestone vs. Lake Zurich, 10:30

Richwoods vs. Comer, 12:45

Pespectives-MSA vs. Lake Park, 2:15

Morton (IL) vs. Normal West, 9:00a

Moline vs. Lanphier, 10:30

Hersey vs. Pekin, 12:45

Mount Carmel vs. Washington (IL), 2:15

13th Place Semi-Final, 3:45

13th Place Semi-Final, 9:30

Consolation Semi-Final, 6:30

Consolation Semi-Final, 8:00

5th Place Semi-Final, 3:45

5th Place Semi-Final, 9:30

Semi-Final, 6:30

Semi-Final, 8:00

PLANO

Mendota vs. Sandwich, 10:30

Lisle vs. Morris, 9:00a

Newark vs. Plano, 12:30

Hinckley-Big Rock vs. Coal City, 2:00

Kaneland vs. Yorkville Christian, 3:30

Ottawa vs. Marmion, 5:30

Northridge vs. Notre Dame (Peoria), 7:00

Streator vs. Burlington Central, 8:30

PONTIAC

Bloom vs. Plainfield North, 9:00a

Benet vs. Oak Park-River Forest, 10:30

Manual vs. Lockport, 1:00

Joliet West vs. Bloomington, 2:30

New Trier vs. Warren, 4:00

Curie vs. Danville, 6:00

Simeon vs. St. Charles North, 7:30

West Aurora vs. Pontiac, 9:00

PRINCEVILLE

Henry-Senachwine vs. Galva, 2:00

Ridgewood (IL) vs. Princeville, 3:30

Brimfield vs. Peoria Heights, 6:30

Elmwood vs. Midland, 8:00

PROVISO WEST

Proviso West vs. Bogan, 11:00

Clark vs. Farragut, 12:30

Lincoln Park vs. Hammond Central, 2:00

Thornton Fr. North vs. Fenwick, 4:00

St. Rita vs. Young, 5:30

Proviso East vs. Kenwood, 7:00

RICH

Thornton Fr. South vs. Thornton, 9:00a

Bremen vs. Tinley Park, 10:30

Thornridge vs. Noll (IN), 12:00

Longwood vs. St. Francis de Sales, 1:30

Perspectives-Lead vs. Francis Parker, 3:30

Hyde Park vs. Thornwood, 5:00

De La Salle vs. Rich, 6:30

Agricultural Science vs. Hillcrest, 8:00

WHEELING

St. Viator vs. Maine West. 10:30

Prosser vs. Buffalo Grove, 9:00a

Niles North vs. Antioch, 12:15

Wheeling vs. Englewood STEM, 2:00

Hampshire vs. Libertyville, 3:45

Deerfield vs. Neuqua Valley, 5:30

Prospect vs. Fremd, 7:15

Notre Dame vs. Glenbrook North, 8:45

WILLIAMSVILLE

Roanoke-Benson vs. Beardstown, 12:00

YORK

Minooka vs. Leo, 8:30a

Nazareth vs. Stagg, 10:00

St. Francis vs. Montini, 9:00a

Downers Grove South vs. Highland Park, 10:30

Glenbard West vs. Schaumburg, 11:30

Wheaton North vs. Batavia, 1:00

Hinsdale South vs. Glenbard North, 12:00

Andrew vs. St. Laurence, 1:30

Naperville North vs. Lake Forest, 3:00

Yorkville vs. Timothy Christian, 4:30

Waubonsie Valley vs. St. Patrick, 6:00

Conant vs. York, 7:30

St. Ignatius vs. Riverside-Brookfield, 3:30

Palatine vs. Lyons, 5:00

Glenbrook South vs. Rolling Meadows, 6:30

Lemont vs. Bolingbrook, 8:00

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