Falcons suffer 1st conference loss

The West Aurora girls basketball team just made the DuPage Valley Conference race more interesting.

Keeping their own title hopes alive, the Blackhawks knocked off DVC leader Wheaton North 63-56 in a fiercely contested game Saturday afternoon in Aurora.

It was West Aurora's senior day, and Kyra Watson rode the emotion of the occasion and the importance of the contest to a clutch effort.

Watson, a 5-foot-9 senior, delivered game highs of 21 points and 12 rebounds to help the Blackhawks (14-6, 8-2), along with Wheaton Warrenville South, pull within a loss of Wheaton North (14-6, 8-1).

"I wanted this game so bad," said Watson, who shot 8 of 11 from the field. "I just want to take conference this year. It's my last year."

Bri Tye scored 11 and Tyronza McGowan added 10, all in the second half, for West Aurora.

The Blackhawks have won nine in a row.

The score was tied at 49 heading into the final five minutes before the home team took control with a 10-2 run. Watson slipped inside to score the go-ahead bucket and added 2 free throws in the pivotal stretch.

Wheaton North pulled within 59-56 on Madison Goudy's 3-pointer and Michelle Scandora's inside basket, but West Aurora scored the game's final 4 points at the free-throw line.

"We're just maturing," Blackhawks coach Connie Siljendahl said. "It's one more step up the ladder. We want conference."

Scandora led Wheaton North with 17 points. Allie Cerone registered 12 and Brittany Nelson had 10 for the Falcons.

West Aurora made sure nothing came easy for the DVC leader. The Blackhawks used their quickness and speed to hold Wheaton North to 36 percent shooting from the field while shooting 50 percent themselves.

"We looked a little hesitant today and definitely didn't shoot the ball as well as we normally do," Wheaton North coach David Eaton said. "We just didn't play well today, and today wasn't a good day not to have a good game."

Five games are left on the conference schedule for Wheaton North.

"We knew it'd come down to the wire, and we're still in control of our own destiny," Eaton said. "If we win out that's great, but we just got to come back and start playing better."