Chemistry key in Blackhawks' rebound

The West Aurora girls basketball team has done something this year that no other girls team in the Tri-Cities Area has yet to do -- win 10 games in a row.

Batavia and Geneva won their first 9 games, Rosary won 8 in a row at one point in the season and St. Charles North has won their last 8, but the Blackhawks are the lone team to have won 10 straight, with half the wins coming in the ever-so-tough DuPage Valley Conference.

"It was pretty sweet," sophomore guard Devin Vaughn said of the win streak. "It was nice."

"We knew what we were capable of doing," guard Bri Tye added. "Once we knew what it felt like to win, we wanted to keep winning. We didn't want to go back to the way it was before."

"It felt good," senior Kyra Watson added. "It was expected."

That is a pretty high expectation for a team who struggled to win last year. This year, however, it's a whole new ballgame.

The Blackhawks have almost doubled last year's win total already -- with at least a few more weeks left to play.

They went from a sad 9-17 overall last year to a not-done-yet record of 16-7 this year (through Wednesday's games).

What brought it on?

"Heart," Watson said. "And just the intensity to want to win."

"We are finally playing as a team," senior Tyronza McGowan added. "Since we've done that, we've won more games."

Perhaps West Aurora was too busy dealing with other things last year. Team chemistry was a problem -- they will all agree on that.

It's not that the girls didn't like each other -- they just didn't know one another.

Three players had returned from the 2005-06 team -- Tye, Watson and McGowan. There were four new freshmen, Vaughn, Kiara Towles, Sam Alvis and Shelby Johnson as well as a new coach in Siljendahl.

There was a lot of unfamiliarity. Maybe some awkwardness. Not a whole lot of trust. They got along, but they weren't friends.

"They didn't give the time to know each other," Siljendahl said.

That had to change. So over the summer, the girls spent time together, playing in tournaments and just hanging out on the bus or while waiting to play their next game.

"That's what did it," Siljendahl said. "They realized, 'Hey, I like you. You are a nice person and I can really get to be your friend.' I told them they didn't have to be buds off the court, but when you step on the court, you are buddies."

Team bonding has been a huge factor, but so has Watson. She sampled to everyone just how good of a player she was last year, as she averaged 15.1 points and 11.3 rebounds a game, which were both in the top 3 in the area.

The guard/forward has improved from last year, as she leads the area in scoring and rebounds at 19.6 points and 12.3 boards a game.

There's no jealousy from her teammates, who all admire what she is doing for the team.

"She's one of my best friends and I know what she is capable of doing more than anyone else," Tye said. "I love playing with her. She always comes through for us."

Watson has had several fantastic games, more recently in the DuPage Valley Conference games. For example, against Naperville North both times, she dominated in scoring and rebounding.

West Aurora and Naperville Central are both currently 9-3 in the DVC (through Wednesday's games). Last year, the Blackhawks went 4-10 in the DVC.

The Blackhawks still have to face Glenbard East and Naperville Central (two teams they've already beaten earlier this year) before the postseason starts.

Wheaton North is currently leading the DVC at 10-1 with the lone loss against -- you guessed it -- West Aurora.

"We are excited to be up there (in the conference standings)," Towles said. "But if we don't do it this year, there's hope we can next year."

Fellow DVC school Wheaton Warrenville South was the team that stopped West Aurora's win streak. The Tigers are second in the conference standings at 9-2.

Maybe the loss was a wake-up call. Maybe last year, the Blackhawks wouldn't have responded or even cared. They do now and will continue to do so until the season ends.

"We are getting there," Vaughn said. "This is way, way better than last year."

cbolin@dailyherald.com