Bartlett takes UEC Valley lead
The East Aurora girls basketball team stood little chance of challenging Bartlett Friday night.
The Tomcats' Bianca Esparza was summoned from the pregame warm-ups against Bartlett to deal with a death in the family.
"(Esparaza) hit seven 3s against South Elgin last Friday," Bartlett coach Dave Mello said. "We geared all week in practice to stop her. It wasn't East Aurora at full strength."
Bartlett, with fellow unbeaten West Aurora losing to South Elgin, took the Upstate Eight Conference Valley Division lead with a dominant 65-18 victory over East Aurora.
Bartlett (11-7, 4-0) never trailed in the contest. Kaitlin Brohan scored 13 of her game-high 15 points in the opening half as the Tomcats did not even have double digits until midway through the third quarter.
The Bartlett senior was ably helped by countless teammates as 11 players in all ended up scoring.
Bartlett was a team without peer during the game. The Hawks gathered virtually every rebound against East Aurora and scored at will in the process. Bartlett outscored the Tomcats 12-3 to open the first quarter.
It was only magnified after that moment for Bartlett.
The spread was 20-4 in the second quarter as Brohan and Shelley Lyjak combined for 14 points during the run. The Hawks (11-7, 4-0) took an insurmountable 30-8 lead at halftime, and the carnage only became worse to start the second half.
Playing selfish basketball at its finest, Bartlett had assists on 4 of its 5 second-half baskets. There were also a plenitude of blocked shots as the Hawks totally dominated.
"I think we had a really good effort," said Bartlett senior Jamie Kenna, who was one of 15 Bartlett players to see action. "We fought hard the whole game. Everyone on the team did well. Everyone deserves to play."
East Aurora coach Lee Clayborn is accustomed to encountering a solid Bartlett girls basketball team.
"They are a very fundamentally sound team," Clayborn said of the Hawks. "They were able to understand the reads. They are No. 1 in our conference. They have been good for the last 10-12 years in our conference."
The Bartlett reserves had their moment to shine during the second half.
Sarah Jurek, Ashley Gal, Kashah Objuend and Nina Pavell all scored for the Hawks during the second-half rout.
Kayla Hare was particularly effective as an assist agent with her plentiful second-half helpers.
"We knew they were without their best player," Brohan said. "We came out with out with good intensity. My teammates got me open, and I got to the (free-throw) line."
Jeanette Villezcas' 9 points lead East Aurora (6-13, 1-2).