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Rebounding lifts Neuqua Valley past West Aurora

Neuqua Valley made a couple bold statements in its boys basketball game with West Aurora.

The first was a 38-18 rebounding edge that led to the second, a 52-47 victory in south Naperville, the first meeting of the teams as Upstate Eight Conference Valley Division foes.

"We know we're not the biggest team or the most athletic team, but rebounding comes down to how hard you want to fight and how much you want to box out and how much effort you want to put into it. We bought into it tonight," said Neuqua senior Connor Raridon, who scored 20 points, including a putback with 1:04 remaining to put the Wildcats ahead to stay.

Jacob Eminger scored 14 points and grabbed 15 rebounds as Neuqua (8-1, 4-1) countered several deficits.

"Best game he's played all year, best game of his career - and it was on the boards," Wildcats coach Todd Sutton said.

"They got what they deserved," said West Aurora coach Gordie Kerkman. "They battled on the boards and it won the ballgame for them."

Led by Illinois State recruit Roland Griffin with 17 points and Marquis Howard with 10, West Aurora (5-4, 3-2) led 9-2 on Matt Dunn's transition basket, and 27-14 at 4:36 of the second quarter when West Aurora's Tommy Koth converted his own steal.

Raridon and Eminger, finding an opening on the low block, got Neuqua within 29-23 at halftime.

"We've been tested, we've faced adversity this year," Raridon said. "We knew we've just got to keep playing hard, and we kept playing hard."

In the third quarter West Aurora's Drake Spears scored 6 straight points, but a 10-1 Neuqua run capped by Zach Lendino's baby hook tied the game 36-36. West Aurora led 39-36 entering the fourth quarter on Camron Donatlan's 3 from the top of the key.

Raridon gave Neuqua its first lead at 42-41 with five minutes to play. Two minutes later Griffin swished a 3 with Raridon in his face for a 46-43 Blackhawks lead.

"I did (feel good)," Griffin said, "and then we turned it over, they came down, made some clutch free throws, I missed. It's the rebounds that killed us."

Critically, Raridon's offensive board and putback for a 48-46 lead with 1:04 to play. Shortly he grabbed a defensive rebound that led to 2 Demond George free throws and a 50-47 lead.

The 6-foot-4 Eminger snagged rebound No. 15 and two more free throws with 9.8 seconds left.

"He's probably our best shooter," Sutton said, "but he dominated the game by rebounding."

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