Naperville North 49, W. Aurora 46

The Naperville North boys basketball team stormed back

from a 12-point third-quarter deficit to stun West Aurora Tuesday in DuPage Valley Conference play.

Backcourt mates Dan Hess and Austin Weiss combined for four 3-pointers and 16 points in the fourth quarter to lead the Huskies to a 49-46 victory in Aurora.

With the loss, the Blackhawks' two-game cushion in the league is history; West Aurora, 14-4 overall, is in a three-way tie for top honors with Naperville Central and Wheaton North at 7-2 with five conference games remaining.

Naperville North improved to 8-13 overall, 3-6 in league play.

"It's a gratifying win for our guys," Naperville North coach Mark Lindo said.

"It just feels good," said Hess, who scored 13 of his 15 points after the intermission. "All season long I've been off (from the perimeter). It was a good night for them to fall."

Weiss tallied a team-high 18 points for the Huskies, and the senior off-guard hit back-to-back 3-pointers to start the fourth quarter.

Hess then took the cue from his senior classmate, draining consecutive 3-pointers of his own in the

climatic fourth quarter.

The first baseline-left jumper brought Naperville North within 41-40 with 5:02 to play, and his second 3-pointer, which was sandwiched by a Tom Walsh tip-in, gave the Huskies their first lead, 45-44, since a Weiss bucket two minutes before halftime.

But Tyler Thompson, who led both teams with 19 points, scored in the paint to give West Aurora the lead back.

But Hess was the man of the hour once again.

Hess' layup with 2:38 to play gave Naperville North a 47-46 lead, and the Huskies' come-from-behind victory was secured as the Blackhawks were blanked the final three-plus minutes of the game.

Three 3-point attempts from West Aurora all missed the mark in the last half minute to preserve the Huskies' upset.

"We always talk about being relentless," Weiss said.

"We came relentless in the fourth quarter and got a great victory."

West Aurora starting guard Marquis Stewart was lost in the opening minute -- never to return -- with a dental injury, but the squad turned its fortunes around after a sluggish opening quarter.

Thompson moved to the small forward slot, and he ignited second- and third-quarter runs for the Blackhawks with three 3-pointers during the span.

Theo Hicks' 14 points and 12 rebounds augmented the run for West Aurora, which reached its peak when Markus Cocroft gave the team a 39-27 lead late in the third with another 3-pointer.

"Little things put us behind the 8-ball," West Aurora coach Gordie Kerkman said. "We don't play as smart as we should. You have to give (Naperville North) credit."