Batavia tops AC to reach title game

Natalie Tarter is a veritable expert on hurdles.

The Batavia junior is a three-time all-state performer in track and field, but she had to compensate for a poor night from the field Friday night.

"My outside shooting was terrible," sighed Tarter.

The Bulldogs' small forward learned to compensate, however, crashing the boards and filling the lanes to ignite an early Batavia assault against Aurora Christian in semifinal action of the IMSA Hoops Happenings girls basketball tournament.

Batavia scored the opening 7 points of the contest in Aurora, and the Bulldogs never trailed nor were they tied in advancing to meet Earlville in the championship game this afternoon with a 50-35 victory.

Tarter had a personal run of five in the Bulldogs' opening-game unanswered run, and sophomore point guard Sara Fruendt engineered the attack with a trio of first-quarter assists.

"Sara is a nice addition to our team," said Tarter, who finished with a team-high 18 points and 5 rebounds. "(My game) is still not where it could be."

Batavia (2-0) increased to first-quarter cushion to 17-5 on a Tracy Ferguson field goal, but foul problems and Aurora Christian guard play altered the complexion midway through the second quarter.

Lauren Heck, who scored a game-high 20 points to lead the Eagles (1-2), scored six straight bridging the opening two quarters to slice the Batavia lead in half.

But Batavia had an answer in seventh-man Melissa Norville, who had a 5-0 mini-burst of her own, and the Bulldogs led 28-18 at the intermission.

"Norville could be our secret weapon before the season is over," said Batavia coach Tim DeBruycker. "I thought we were lucky to be up 10 (points) at halftime."

The Bulldogs' unabashed offensive philosophy continued to flourish after the break as the team had 5 offensive rebounds in the third quarter to once again create separation.

"I tell the girls that if they're open and in rhythm to shoot the ball," said DeBruycker. "They have the green light."

Batavia limited Aurora Christian to single-digits in all four quarters, taking a 40-27 lead into the final quarter. The Bulldogs then put the game out of reach with a 10-2 run.

"We're learning to work together as a team," said Heck. "We're hopeful we can do well as a team."

Fruendt and Norville had 7 points apiece for Batavia; Rachel Mertens and Chelsea Cooper had 7 and 6, respectively, for the Eagles.