March 20--PEORIA -- Sitting courtside during Friday's Class 4A semifinal between Benet and Simeon, former Benet guard Dave Sobolewski tried to relay a quick message to his brother before he inbounded the ball.
Dan Sobolewski, a senior guard for the Redwings, looked behind him and nodded his head in agreement.
"My brother was just telling me not to get any more fouls," Dan Sobolewski said.
Dan Sobolewski is no longer worried about following in his brother's footsteps. He scored 11 points, grabbed six rebounds and made all six of his free throws in Friday's 49-48 win over Simeon to lead the Redwings to their second state championship game appearance in three seasons.
"It's awesome to make my own name for myself," Dan Sobolewski said. "It was really tough my sophomore year, just not playing much, but I knew my time would come. The coaches had confidence in me.
"There's no better place to finish your career than being here in Peoria. Nobody really gave us a chance to reach state."
Friday's game lifted the 6-foot-3 Sobolewski's averages to 10.8 points, 5.4 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game. His 3-pointer with 1 minute, 37 seconds left put Benet ahead and accounted for the game's final points.
Dave Sobolewski, who played at Northwestern from 2011-2015, said he's enjoyed watching his younger brother became a key player for the Redwings.
"Seeing how he has grown as a player and leader is awesome," Dave Sobolewski said. "I think he felt little bit of pressure following me, but I think he's made a name for himself. He hit a huge shot.
"It's fun to see him doing his own thing out there. He's had a much better career than I ever thought he would, and that's a testament to how hard he's worked."
Baseball has always been Dan Sobolewski's main sport. A first basemen and left fielder, he hopes to play in college. He never has played AAU basketball -- a staple for most kids at established programs.
Dan Sobolewski admitted that deciding to play basketball was tough for him during his first two years at Benet. He did not leave the bench during the Redwings' 46-44 loss to Young in the 4A state final during his sophomore season.
"I look up to my brother in almost every aspect, but to make my own mark is pretty special," he said. "I really didn't know if I could do it at the beginning of high school because of his excellent career."
Seconds after Friday's final buzzer sounded, Dave Sobolewski glanced at a text message from a former Benet teammate. Frank Kaminsky, a star at Benet and Wisconsin who is now a rookie for the Hornets, had a message he wanted Dave to deliver to Dan.
"Frank told me to make sure and tell Danny congrats," Dave Sobolewski said.
Bob Narang is a freelance reporter for the Chicago Tribune.
