Scouting West Aurora vs. Oswego East

Class 4A Waubonsie Valley regional final

No. 13 West Aurora (13-15) vs. No. 5 Oswego E. (23-4)

When: 7:30 p.m. Friday.

Outlook: Thoughts of "how the mighty have fallen" no doubt circulated when vaunted West Aurora dropped into a Monday play-in game, where it beat another fallen power, 20th-seeded Waubonsie Valley, 50-38. In a tumultuous, atypical year, coach Gordie Kerkman will tell you this team can succeed when it receives solid guard play, remains patient and plays Blackhawks-style defense. That's what happened when West kept the score down and defeated a taller, 20-win Naperville North unit 46-40 to reach the regional finals a 17th straight time. Led Tuesday by sophomore forward Juwan Starks' 12 points and junior guard Brandon Hayes' 6 of 8 late foul shooting, West gets balanced points from senior forward Tyrone Carey and senior guard D.J. Vaughn with help from 6-foot-7 junior center Kyle Pilmer and, against Naperville North, undersized senior post Garrett Wells. When he's on Vaughn can rock the arc, but a backcourt that includes 5-9 senior Richard Preston must stay unruffled against an Oswego East team that forced 26 turnovers to beat Batavia 65-53. No one will pick West to win its 37th regional title against probable all-stater Jay Harris, whose 18 points Wednesday were a slow night. In other words Kerkman has 'em right where he wants 'em.