Is Samantha Trimberger the key for Benet? In a sectional semifinal, she shows ‘that’s absolutely true.’

Senior center Samantha Trimberger is Benet’s barometer.

That’s especially true in high-pressure situations.

“We keep telling the girls we’re better when Sam touches the ball,” Benet coach Joe Kilbride said. “We say it all the time, and she showed today that’s absolutely true.”

Indeed, Trimberger touched the ball early and often during Benet’s Class 4A West Aurora Sectional semifinal on Tuesday, and the results were impressive. She led all players with 20 points and 11 rebounds as the top-seeded Redwings beat fourth-seeded Neuqua Valley 60-43.

Trimberger made her first five shots and was 8 for 9 overall and 4 for 6 from the free-throw line for Benet (22-7), which will play sixth-seeded Waubonsie Valley in the sectional championship game at 7 p.m. Thursday.

“Sam was great,” Kilbride said. “Early on we seemed a little rattled, unsettled, whatever you want to say, and I thought Sam was our calming influence. She really kind of got us going.”

It didn’t take long. With the Wildcats (21-11) double-teaming Indiana-bound senior guard Lenee Beaumont on the perimeter, Trimberger got herself open down low and scored nine points during Benet’s opening 15-3 run.

The streak was particularly noteworthy considering Beaumont only attempted one shot until sinking a turnaround jumper to make it 15-3 at the 2:21 mark of the first quarter.

“We knew going into the game they were going to have some tricky defense,” Beaumont said. “As long as we get Sam the ball, more times than not things are going to work out. So as soon as I saw the double, I’m looking for her right away.”

Trimberger has been looking for the ball more lately and has gained confidence while putting up some solid scoring numbers.

“I wanted to come in confident with my shot because the more positive you are, the more chance you have of getting it in,” Trimberger said. “It definitely helped that they went in today, but it’s also nice when there is more space in the middle and they’re more focused on Lenee.

“I just try to make myself available to anybody who needs me in the middle. Then once I’m there, then I make my own basket.”

Trimberger’s prolific early production proved vital when Beaumont went to the bench in the second quarter after picking up her second foul. The Wildcats pulled within 19-17 on a fast-break layup by junior guard Zoe Navarro.

But Beaumont checked back in and immediately fed Trimberger for another inside basket, and sophomore guard Lindsay Harzich followed with a 3-pointer to give Benet a 24-17 halftime lead.

Navarro’s two free throws cut the gap to 28-26 early in the third quarter, but Beaumont again assisted Trimberger on a basket, which triggered a 21-2 run that featured seven points from Beaumont and six from freshman guard Bridget Rifenburg.

“They were playing really well together as a team in the second half,” Neuqua Valley junior guard/forward Kylee Norkus said. “We weren’t shutting them down as well as we did the first half.”

But Benet shut down the Wildcats, holding them without a basket for more than 11 minutes.

“Offensively, we were all just off,” Norkus said. “There wasn’t really team camaraderie. It was just kind of all for ourselves, and I felt like that beat us because they were playing as a team and we just weren’t.”

Benet’s teamwork begins with the unselfish play of Beaumont, who despite foul trouble and a few turnovers still produced 17 points, eight rebounds and four assists. She was happy to share the spotlight with Trimberger.

“Our connection throughout the year has grown,” Beaumont said. “I trust her with anything. Any pass I throw, whether it’s in her hands or not, I know she’s finishing it. She really took care of business today.”

The next order of business for the Redwings is Waubonsie Valley, which beat seventh-seeded Naperville Central 75-65 in the other semifinal.

Trimberger is primed for another big game.

“You practice all year to get up to here, and the goal is to play your best basketball right now,” Trimberger said.

So will Beaumont mind if she gets double-teamed again?

“No, not at all,” she said. “Keep it up, please.”

Matt Le Cren is a freelance reporter for the Naperville Sun.