Few high school basketball teams have a unicorn like Benet’s Colin Stack.

The 7-foot-1 senior center is a matchup nightmare for opponents, and the problem he poses is getting worse with every game.

Smaller defenders — and they are always smaller than Stack — are faced with a catch-22 whenever another Benet player drives into the lane.

“We always know if we attack the rim that his guy will either have to help or I have the layup,” Benet junior forward Edvardas Stasys said. “If he comes and helps, it’s a dump-off to Stack, and we know how that goes — it’s a dunk every time.”

That’s not much of an exaggeration, as Yorkville found out Tuesday night. The North Dakota State-bound Stack took a pass from Stasys and dunked in emphatic fashion for the first basket of the game.

On the next possession, Stack dunked again, this time on an alley-oop toss from senior guard Jayden Wright, an Eastern Illinois recruit. Then Stack rebounded a missed shot from Yorkville star Joey Jakstys and fed junior forward Perry Tchiegne for a layup.

It was all part of an opening 17-3 run by the top-seeded Redwings, who rolled past the 13th-seeded Foxes 67-30 in a Class 4A Bolingbrook Sectional semifinal game.

Stack had five dunks and finished with 12 points and five rebounds for defending state champion Benet (33-1), which advances to play second-seeded Neuqua Valley (32-1) or third-seeded Bolingbrook (24-7) in the sectional final at 7 p.m. Friday. The 6-8 Stasys added two dunks and led all players with 19 points, nine rebounds and four steals.

“He makes a huge impact rebounding-wise, finishing around the rim,” Stasys said of Stack. “It’s difficult for opposing teams to match up with because, me and him, we’ve got some pretty good size. So that plays to our advantage.”

Stack gives the Redwings a huge advantage, especially when he scores early, as he did against the Foxes (16-13).

“I’d say it gave me adrenaline more than momentum,” Stack said of his first dunk. “But I just play off my teammates.

“I’m very confident that when they come in the lane, my guy is either going to rotate, or they are going to play the layup and I’m going to be on the glass getting a putback. So I just know my role, and I’ve just got to stay active on the glass. That’s the main thing for me right now.”

Stack’s presence at both ends of the floor frees up space for his teammates to do their thing. Wright scored 10 of his 12 points in the first half and added three assists, including a lob off an inbounds pass that Stasys tipped in at the buzzer to give Benet a 31-9 lead.

The Redwings made 29 of 52 shots, including 10 of 13 in the third quarter, which ended with Stack slamming home a feed from junior guard Blair Fagbemi to extend the lead to 55-24.

“Colin is a great player,” Benet coach Gene Heidkamp said. “Sometimes I think he’s underrated or underappreciated even though to me he’s the best big man in the state.

“Now I’m biased, obviously, but I also see it every day. He’s a winning-type player, and it impacts the game on so many different levels.”

Benet’s Colin Stack (42) handles the ball on a fast break during a Class 4A Bolingbrook Sectional semifinal game against Yorkville on Tuesday, March 3, 2026. (Steve Johnston / Naperville Sun)

Stack, a three-year starter, has improved his game in so many ways that it’s hard to know which aspect to mention first. He’s stronger, more astute and much more mobile than he was two years ago.

“My sophomore year, I wasn’t as athletic,” Stack said. “I was more skinny, but I would have to say my anticipation grew.”

That’s true even outside of the paint. Stack can guard smaller players on the perimeter, making it difficult for teams to get off shots. In practice, he matches up against Stasys or 6-6 junior Cormac Hanus.

“I would say they were major factors in why I got more mobile,” Stack said. “Cormac is a lefty, and if he played at a DII or DIII level, he’d probably play a 3 or 4, so I’m chasing him around during practice.”

The Redwings are chasing their second straight state title, and Stack is a major reason why they are favored to win it.

“I know how hard he works,” Stasys said. “I know what type of player he is. It’s cool that he gets to show everyone how good of a player he truly is.”

Matt Le Cren is a freelance reporter.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/03/04/4a-high-school-basketball-yorkville-benet-colin-stack/