West Aurora outshoots Naperville Central
Early Friday, West Aurora and Naperville Central were engaged in a 3-point shooting contest.
That didn’t last forever — though West Aurora’s hot shooting did.
The Blackhawks made 65 percent of its field goal tries, 26 of 40. Led by forward Juwan Starks and guard Jontrel Walker each with 18 points, West Aurora won the DuPage Valley Conference contest, its home opener, 71-59.
West Aurora (5-1, 2-0) made 7 of 8 three-point attempts in a first half it led 44-34, but Naperville Central (4-3, 0-2) was there to answer. Ryan Antony and Austin Pauga came off the Redhawks bench to combine for six 3-pointers to head an 8-of-17 first-half effort beyond the arc.
What buoyed West Aurora was a pair of mini-runs. Starks made a 3 to start the second quarter then stole the ball, leading to 2 Spencer Thomas free throws for a 26-20 Blackhawks lead.
Naperville Central held within 34-28 on an Antony 3 at 3:51 of the second quarter, but West Aurora’s Jayquan Lee answered. The Redhawks fired another longball, missed, and Blackhawks senior Brandon Gossett drove the lane to put West Aurora up 39-28 with 3:03 left in the first half.
Naperville Central coach Pete Kramer started the third quarter applying light full-court pressure, which slowed West Aurora’s pace if not shooting percentage.
As 6-foot-8 center Nick Czarnowski asserted himself, the Redhawks battled within 51-48 with 1:31 left in the third quarter on a three-point play by Czarnowski, who led Naperville Central with 15 points.
West Aurora regained momentum. Gossett scored on a fastbreak lay-in, and 6-foot-6 Josh McAuley went inside for a 55-49 West Aurora lead entering the fourth quarter.
McAuley blocked Naperville Central’s first two shots of the fourth, and the Blackhawks went up 62-52 on Walker’s 3-pointer from the left baseline, no defender within 10 feet, and a McAuley putback.
West Aurora attempted only 17 shots in the second half but made 10 while Naperville Central was mired in 9-of-28 second-half shooting. Indicating their outside emphasis, Czarnowski was the only Redhawk to visit the free-throw line, 6 times.
Lee helped clinch the win by swishing 4 free throws in the last 3:21.
Lee, Thomas and Gossett each scored 9 points for West Aurora. Naperville Central’s Pauga and Antony, who each canned four 3-pointers, notched 14 and 12 points, respectively.