W. Aurora can't stop Redhawks from winning share of DVC title
From the slow start to begin the DVC season to the illnesses to end it, this will go down as one of the more improbable conference championships for Naperville Central.
All that matters to the Redhawks is that it's going down as a championship.
The Redhawks won 60-51 at West Aurora Thursday night, their ninth straight DuPage Valley victory to give them a share of the title with Wheaton North.
Naperville Central (19-11, 12-2) certainly didn't look like it would be celebrating a 10th title in 21 years back when it was struggling along at 8-9 on Jan. 15. And the Redhawks didn't think they'd have to use a makeshift lineup Thursday night, which they did when three key players fell ill Wednesday.
"We were all at practice, I said, "If anyone throws up call me right away,'" Naperville Central coach Andy Nussbaum said. "I got a call at 8 at night, I got a call at 6 in the morning, I got a call at 9 in the morning. For us to win in the circumstances we did, it's just a tremendous tribute to the mental toughness these girls have developed."
The Redhawks played without starters Claire Fleming and Katherine Tanck. Emma Ondik stepped up with 21 points and four 3-pointers. Kelley Hendrick added 16 points and freshman Emma Donahue 9 points, 9 rebounds and 2 blocks.
Junior varsity players Krissy Many and Jill D'Amico, who didn't even know they would dress until Thursday afternoon, helped off the bench.
"I'm just real, real pleased with all our girls," Nussbaum said. "In our program we have three goals, and we feel like if we get two of them we've had a successful season. Win conference, win a regional, win 20. For this group of girls, that's (winning 9 straight DVC games) a tremendous accomplishment."
West Aurora (7-18, 4-10) finished sixth in the DVC. The Blackhawks held their last lead at 13-11, which Ondik erased with a 3-pointer at the first-quarter buzzer. In one motion, she spun away from her defender and launched a 25-footer that hit nothing but net - by far the one of Naperville Central's eight 3-pointers that drew the loudest roar.
"I just threw it up there. It was awesome," said Ondik. "We have pretty good shooters on our team. We expect to make a bunch of 3s."
Donahue took over inside at the start of the second quarter, scoring Naperville Central's first 8 points. The Blackhawks had a miserable quarter, with 5 turnovers and just 1-of-7 shooting. Hendrick made consecutive steals at one point, taking the first all the way for a layup and pulling up for a 12-footer on the second.
Naperville Central led 34-21 at halftime and by as much as 49-23 in the third. The Blackhawks rallied in the fourth, with the final margin the closest they came.
"We just kind of get in a funk and can't get everybody on the same page playing well the same night," West Aurora coach Connie Siljendahl said. "That's been our story the whole season."
Bri Tye led West Aurora with 16 points. Kiara Towles added 11 points and 12 rebounds. Jasmine Johnson gave up her starting spot to senior Samantha Brand, then came off the bench to score 13 points.