Aurora Central edges Hinckley-Big Rock
Hinckley-Big Rock might be a couple hundred students smaller than Aurora Central, but the Royals girls basketball team still provides a good measuring stick.
The 2009 and 2010 Class 1A state champions who went 28-4 last year and lost in the supersectionals met the Chargers Wednesday night at the Somonauk Tim Humes Breakout Tournament.
Mark Fitzgerald’s Chargers found out they measure up pretty well. They won 38-35 in a back-and-forth battle with 12 ties or lead changes when Hinckley’s leading scorer Kaitlin Phillips came up short on a potential game-tying 3-pointer at the buzzer.
“They still have a lot of talent and are well-coached,” Fitzgerald said. “I couldn’t be more proud of the girls.”
Neither team led by more than 5 points. Hinckley Big-Rock (1-1) took its biggest lead at 6-2, but moments later senior Tess Alderman drained the first of her two 3-pointers to put the Chargers in front 7-6.
Alderman, a transfer from Kaneland, finished with 12 points to trail only senior Jackie Cardona’s 13 points for ACC scoring honors.
“We were all excited (playing Hinckley),” Alderman said. “We wanted to show who we are as a team. It was tough starting out meshing together like we are now. We’re happy, we’re going strong and we are hoping to continue going strong.”
Leading 11-8 after one quarter, Aurora Central (2-1) got into foul trouble in the second when center Katilyn Rosa went to the bench with her third foul. The Chargers also had trouble containing Phillips who sliced through Aurora Central’s defense multiple times for baskets.
The Chargers still found themselves ahead 25-24 at halftime when Kendall Adams scored on an out-of-bounds play. They trailed just once in the second half at 29-28 before scoring the final four points of the third quarter to lead 33-29 entering the fourth.
The pace slowed considerably in the final eight minutes. After putting up 43 shots in three quarters the Chargers took just four in the fourth.
Of those four the only one that went in was by Cardona for a 38-33 lead in the final minute. Phillips’ basket with 11.7 seconds left brought the Royals within 38-35.
The Chargers missed the front end of a 1-and-1 with 5 seconds to go. Phillips grabbed the rebound and drove the other way, pulling up for a 3-point attempt from the top of the key that missed everything as time expired.
“It was one of those games that whoever lost would look back at the end and say there were some points left on the board,” Hinckley Big-Rock coach Greg Burks said. “Aurora Central quite frankly in 2A I could see them going to a sectional and beyond. They are an outstanding ballclub. They took advantage of a little of our inexperience. That’s what you want early in the season. You want to be tested.”
The Chargers played without starter Lisa Rodriguez who hurt her back in Tuesday’s win. Fitzgerald praised the work Alderman and Alex DeCraene did filling in for their defensive stopper.
Ashley Wilk led the Chargers with 10 rebounds and Cardona grabbed 9 boards to go with 3 blocked shots and 2 steals.
Aurora Central concludes the tournament against Somonauk Thursday and can still win the tourney with a victory and if Wheaton Academy loses based on the points allowed tiebreaker.
Phillips led all scorers with 17 points and 10 rebounds.
“We’re going to face some growing pains here and there but by the end of the year we hope to be pretty good,” Burks said.