Aria Mazza scores 1,000th career point as Benet rolls past Marist to 16th straight win

LISLE – It had to be a 3.

Aria Mazza is best known for her 3-point shooting prowess, so it was fitting that her most famous shot yet came from distance.

The Benet senior guard took a long inbounds pass from Sailor Jones and sank a 3-pointer from the top of the key with 2:52 remaining in the second quarter of Wednesday night’s East Suburban Catholic Conference showdown with Marist.

The trey gave Mazza 1,000 career points. She jumped up in the air and ran to the bench as the Redwings stopped the game briefly to recognize the achievement.

“It’s a great milestone,” Benet coach Joe Kilbride said. “I think it started weighing on her at some point, so it’s nice for her to get that done.

“The kids had a great reaction. They were all very happy for her, which is exactly what you want to see. You have to be generous, not jealous, and I thought they were all in for her, which is great.”

It was the highlight of a great performance by Mazza and the host Redwings, who were terrific in rolling to a 71-35 victory that extended their winning streak to 16 games.

Senior guard Lindsay Harzich paced the Redwings (16-1, 5-0) with 15 points, while Mazza added 13 points and seven rebounds and junior Bridget Rifenburg had 12 points. Senior center Emma Briggs contributed nine points and seven boards.

“I think every single person, from our first girl to our 19th girl, can hit shots and really play,” Mazza said. “So having that talent off the bench is amazing for us.”

Indeed, reserves Brooke Bafia, Macy Menendez and Kiera Moran combined to score the final 14 points for the Redwings, who triggered a running clock with five minutes left.

Marist (15-5, 2-2) led 5-2 early and kept the game close for the first quarter. But the Redwings went on a 15-0 run, capped by Mazza’s milestone 3, to take a 30-10 lead.

Mazza, who played her first two seasons at Conant before transferring to Benet last season, was thrilled with her historic shot.

“It’s always been a dream,” said Mazza, who now has 1,006 points. “It was a goal since freshman year to get 1,000.

“I think hitting that was exciting to see, but it was not possible without my great teammates both at Conant and Benet.”

They include Jones, a senior reserve who contributed three assists and two steals. Her long lob from under the basket found Mazza in rhythm.

“It was great,” Jones said. “She is a great player.

“A lot of my assists come from when I play her and Lindsay off of that inbounds pass. And we know that’s her spot on top, so I was just happy to be able to get it to her.”

While Mazza’s best quality since joining the Redwings has been her outside shooting, she has a burgeoning set of tools.

“She is a great scorer from all three levels, great in transition and I think she’s really quick on defense, can read passes,” Jones said. “She helps us on our press too, so it’s good to have someone that matches the energy and just keeps up with us.”

Grace Harmon scored nine points to pace the RedHawks, who could not keep up with the Redwings.

“They ran a lot of stuff,” Mazza said. “But I think we were able to stop all their plays and actions, and then we started making shots.”