Harvest Christian defeats Aurora Christian for NAC title

Intensity isn't always obvious in a box score, but there was no doubting Harvest Christian found more of it in Friday's Northeastern Athletic Conference girls basketball showdown.

Despite both Aurora Christian and the host Lions having one more league game remaining, the winner of the meeting between the 6-0 squads would be guaranteed the tiebreaker edge to claim the league crown.

The visiting Eagles may have had a 1-point advantage at intermission, but in Harvest's locker room, seniors Paulina Castro and Rachel Oostdyk had a shared determination that fueled a 66-55 triumph.

"Rachel and I said we were not going to leave the court without a win," Castro said. "Being down, we knew we needed to step up our intensity and rebounding. Getting the momentum to start the second half helped spread the intensity to everyone."

Initially Aurora Christian (12-11, 6-1) erased a 5-0 deficit with 7 straight points only to have the Lions (18-7, 7-0) use an 8-0 surge to build a 16-9 first-quarter lead. The Eagles had an 8-0 run of their own to draw even at 22 - all with 4:58 left in the second quarter. They claimed a 33-32 lead at the half thanks to back-to-back baskets from Sami Hultine and Kirsten Madsen.

"Our pressure in the second half made a big difference," Harvest coach Rich DeTamble said. "Our girls followed the game plan to a T and that was necessary because Aurora is solid and as close a team to us as anyone which is why we were both 6-0."

Nygia Pollard's rebound putback put Harvest ahead 40-35 less than two minutes into third quarter. Every Lion who played contributed at least a basket and Castro scored 7 of her game-high 21 points in the third. The hosts built a series of double-digit leads and were up 12 before Aurora's Hultine drained a 3-pointer to make it 53-44 heading into the fourth quarter.

"There was a stretch when we didn't take care of the ball and simply gave away too many transition baskets," Aurora Christian coach Burnie Wilkie noted. "Normally we shoot 70 percent as a team for free throws, we weren't as good as we needed to be at times."

After Katie Kaldenberger hit 2 free throws to start the last quarter, Harvest went nearly three minutes before scoring again. During that time, Aurora converted only 3 of 6 free throws. Instead of closing the gap, things literally slipped away from the Eagles with a series of turnovers and missed shots as the game became both more physical and wild. A 7-0 spurt by Harvest put the game out of reach.

"This was a big game and we knew we had to come out with greater intensity," the Lions' Alyssa Iverson said. "We had struggled with rebounding, but that gave us the game down the stretch. We care about our two seniors and wanted to get the title for them. Everyone has a role and the importance of how everyone executes and contributes sometimes goes unnoticed."

As has been the case in 14 games, Iverson joined Castro in putting up double figures with an 18-point outing. It was Castro's 11th game with 20-plus points. Oostdyk added 7 points but snared 11 rebounds.

"Rachel was definitely an unsung hero," DeTamble added. "She has a severely sprained wrist, yet being a senior, she played almost the entire game. In our last three or four games, our fourth quarter focus has made a huge difference."

"It means a lot to repeat as league champions," Pollard said. "(Facing Aurora for the title) brought us closer as a team. Hopefully it's part of the building blocks to more success."

In addition to being the Lions' second basketball crown in four years of NAC play, it marked the 10th title for a girls program and the school's 14th in five years of IHSA competition.

Harvest is hoping to surpass last year's sectional victory in Class 1A while Aurora will be aiming for a fourth consecutive 2A regional trophy. The Eagles had a school-record 20-9 record a year ago, but had a preseason setback when standout Gabby Galbato was lost for this season due to an ACL tear during volleyball.

Madsen, who returned from a knee injury that sidelined her for 2014-15, notched her 1,000th point back in December, three days after Castro achieved that feat for Harvest. Madsen led Aurora with 15 points while Hultine added 14 and Tori Henning finished with 11.

"Every game is an opportunity to learn and I think the key for us is to take the passion and fight from today forward," Madsen said. "This game showed us what to work on and any mistake is an opportunity to do better the next time."