Cornerstone Christian’s Quinn Kwasniak is known for his ability from beyond the arc. But the senior reached deeper in the bag against Benedictine on Dec. 21 as a part of the NEO Youth Elite Christmas Classic. While he made three 3-pointers in the first quarter, Kwasniak went to work in the paint, posting five scores in the lane, and he outscored Benedictine in the first half. Benedictine rallied in the second half, but it was for not. The Patriots posted a 78-70 win and move to 4-1 on the season. Benedictine falls to 1-5. Early on, Kwasniak quickly connected on three 3-pointers. But Benedictine kept it close, 15-12, midway through the first quarter. Then Cornerstone went on an 8-0 run to lead, 23-12, going to the second quarter, and it opened a 47-23 advantage at the half. “I think we’re so strong and consistent today,” Kwasniak said. “I think there were things that could’ve been better. We handled pressure well and got the win. That’s what matters.” In the second quarter, Kwasniak worked in the paint. He had five scores inside the arc to go with 3-pointer. He had 24 points in the first half and finished with a game-high 35. Kwasniak said if he has a bad shooting night, he can rely on his teammates and his ability to work inside. “All summer I’ve been working on that,” Kwasniak said. “Whether it’s in the gym alone or outside, lifting weights and everything. A lot of my teammates opened that up with their cuts on the block. It allowed me to do my stuff and play in the paint. It wasn’t the best shooting night, but I had it in the mid-range.” Another bonus for the Patriots was their defensive intensity and control of the glass. That advantage in the first half, plus 10 forced turnovers led to transition looks. Coach Danny Schikowski filled in for Babe Kwasniak, who was serving a one-game suspension for a technical foul. Schikowski was impressed with the Patriots’ rebounding and defense. Darrien Davis and Asiah West combined for 13 rebounds, helping to grow the lead. “It’s a unique situation but I’ve been blessed to be in a coaching situation my whole life,” Schikowski said. “Learning from my dad (Bill) along with Babe and the Big Guy (Tedd Kwasniak). Our guys did a great job getting the pressure early and letting the defense create our offense. When we get those turnovers, we want to be completely off the break.” Cornerstone also had Hudson Funk in double figures with 17 points, and West added 13. The Patriots used their transition opportunities to create open 3-pointers or for pump fakes from beyond the arc to speed up Benedictine’s defense. “We always want to play fast,” Schikowski said. “But our goal is to go fast so that they can’t set up their defense or get to their spots. When we’re able to get out like that, our guys do a great job of knowing their roles and excelling at them. Setting screens or running wide, we’re putting a point of emphasis on that now.” Benedictine had a strong comeback attempt, fueled by a 24-point third quarter. But the Bengals couldn’t get the deficit under double digits until the final buzzer. Coach Chris Salata said the team is playing competitively but isn’t finishing all four quarters. He feels a complete game is on the horizon. “We played with a lot more energy and urgency,” Salata said. “It was partly because we were down but that’s what we’re capable of playing like all the time. Quinn had a good first half, made a lot of contested shots. But the third quarter we kept him in check to just three points and were running a second guy at him. We pushed in transition too. We were walking the ball up in the first half and that’s not how we want to play.” Noah Whistler led the Bengals with 25 points and eight rebounds. Damone Darmond had 17 points, 15 in the second half, and seven rebounds. Tyree Williamson (14 points) and Bryce Meitin (11 points) were in double figures. Both teams return to the court Dec. 23 on the road against teams that also competed in the NEO Youth Elite Christmas Classic. Cornerstone travels to Euclid, and Benedictine travels to Hawken.