West Aurora runs away from Metea Valley
West Aurora had an uncharacteristic second quarter against visiting Metea Valley Saturday evening.
"We weren't into the game mentally," West Aurora senior forward Tommy Koth said.
After scoring 25 of the first 32 points in the Upstate Eight Valley boys basketball game, the Blackhawks were plagued by ragged play in the second quarter in Aurora.
Metea Valley closed its one-time 18-point first-half deficit to six at the break, but the third quarter witnessed another West Aurora eruption.
Scoring on seven consecutive possessions to start the third quarter, West Aurora ended all doubt to the eventual outcome of its 75-54 victory.
"Against a great team like that, great players like that, we had some bad minutes (to start the third quarter)," Metea Valley coach Bob Vozza said. "It kind of steamrolled from there. Their guards see the floor so well."
West Aurora (5-3, 3-1) scored the first 12 points of the third quarter to negate the Mustangs' 12-5 second-quarter close that brought Metea Valley (4-4, 2-2) to within 37-31 at the intermission.
Roland Griffin, the Blackhawks' Illinois State-bound forward, had a home opener to remember for his final campaign.
Griffin had game-highs of 22 points and 11 rebounds to lead four Blackhawks in double figures.
The 6-foot-6 senior polished off the Blackhawks' 22-5 run to open the second half with a thunderous alley-oop dunk off a perfect feed from Marquis Howard, who hit all three 3-pointers for West Aurora in scoring 11 points.
"We came out of the game strong, but we slacked in the second quarter," Griffin said. "But we got it back in the third quarter. (Coach Gordie Kerkman) just said to do the same things you did in the first quarter."
Metea Valley launched a full-court press to try and slow West Aurora after its dominant first-quarter performance.
But the Blackhawks' three-guard attack - Matt Dunn, Reggie Jordan and Howard - made the Mustangs pay with repeated layups after halftime.
"We were ready for that," Griffin said of the Mustangs' defensive adjustment.
Dunn scored 10 of his 14 points before the break, and Koth had 8 of his 12 points in the second half.
West Aurora outscored Metea Valley 26-9 in the third quarter to take a commanding 63-40 lead after three quarters.
"We don't have a big guy like last year with Carlton (Williams)," Koth said. "We have to push the ball. We're pretty good at that."
Metea Valley guard Bryson Oliver came off the bench to provide a tremendous spark for the Mustangs.
The senior had 8 points to spearhead the Mustangs' second-quarter rally and finished with a team-high 17 points.
But Metea Valley would have few answers for Griffin and his teammates after halftime.
Griffin tallied 13 of his game-high total after missing the last four-plus minutes of the first half with his second foul.
"(Griffin is) gonna be a ton all year for teams to stop," Vozza said. "(The Blackhawks) are the team that people have to look at right now (to win conference)."