Rosary's Alvarez on verge of record-breaking stats
Victoria Alvarez, a four-year varsity starting guard on Rosary's girls basketball team, is going to cap her career with the Royals as a record-breaker in several categories.
By the end of the season, Alvarez will be in the top 30 on the state's all-time list in assists, steals and blocked shots. She's hovering near 600 assists, 500 steals and 100 blocks.
While not record-breaking, Alvarez will finish her career with over 900 points and 800 rebounds as well.
"She's only (averaging) 10 points a game this year, but the steals and assists … everything else is making up for it," said Rosary coach Dave Beebe.
Alvarez leads the area in assists (7.4 apg) and steals (5.1 spg) per game.
Rosary is the first girls area team to reach the 20-win mark. With the recent victory over St. Edward on the Royals' senior night -- they locked up second place in the Suburban Catholic Conference standings at 12-2. Powerhouse Montini won the title for the fifth consecutive year.
Batavia: Perhaps still peeved about their Western Sun Conference loss to DeKalb, the Bulldogs took their frustrations out on nonconference opponent St. Charles East last week.
The 41-36 loss to the Barbs in late January was the Bulldogs' lone defeat in the conference standings. Their next game is against rival Geneva on Friday in a game that will determine who is conference queen.
In the loss against DeKalb, Batavia star Natalie Tarter scored 23 points. The next top scorer had 5 points.
In the 48-32 win over the Saints, the scoring was much more balanced, as Kara Lydon led the way with 11 and Tarter and Ferguson each scored 9. Almost everyone who played scored, which proved that teamwork has been key for the Bulldogs this year.
"Natalie will get what Natalie can do," said Batavia coach Tim DeBruycker. "She does her job every night. We just need to make sure some of the other girls do, too.
"When all the girls do their job, we are a good team. It's when we get one-dimensional and try to watch Natalie and don't do what we are supposed to do … we can't be one-dimensional, not against good teams."
Tarter is averaging 15.6 points per game.
St. Charles East: The Saints are 14-9 overall, and 7-1 in the Upstate Eight Conference. Perhaps their biggest challenge is tonight at home against Waubonsie Valley, the only undefeated team in the Upstate Eight.
The Saints won their first seven UEC games this year until they ran into rival St. Charles North. After that loss, St. Charles East beat Larkin in overtime.
"Sure, we'd like to be a little bit better, but I'm not disappointed," said St. Charles East coach Lori Drumtra. "We are over .500."
The Saints have one nonconference game at Marian Central remaining on the schedule -- Feb. 8 -- before the postseason begins Feb. 12 in Larkin's Class 4A regional.