Aurora Central Catholic routs Rosary
In a girls basketball game framed by each team missing its leading scorer, Aurora Central Catholic did a far better job than visiting Rosary Friday night in Suburban Christian Blue action.
The Chargers dominated the final minutes of the second quarter and opening moments of the second half to cruise to their eighth consecutive victory, 60-39, before what was billed as the largest home crowd in ACC program history.
Aurora Central (8-1, 3-0) scored the final 6 points of the opening half to take a 30-21 lead into the intermission; the Chargers then forced Rosary into missing its first 9 field goal attempts in the third quarter while extending the unanswered run to 16 points.
“The first quarter we had a lot of nerves,” said ACC senior guard Tesa Alderman, a Kaneland transfer who was one of three players in double figures with 13 points. “They’re one of our biggest rivals. It starts as a 0-0 game at halftime.”
Alex DeCraene was flawless in the second half in leading the Chargers’ offensive attack.
The junior guard hit all 4 of her attempts from the floor, including a pair of 3-pointers in the decisive third quarter, in leading Aurora Central with 15 points.
The Chargers were without the services of Jackie Cardona, and Rosary was missing Karly Tate; both players average 14 points.
“I wanted to be the best that I could,” DeCraene said.
Madison Richmond ended the Royals’ scoring drought with a driving layin, and Courtney Bila extended the succession of made field goals to 3 with consecutive jumpers.
But Aurora Central always found an answer.
Kaitlyn Rosa dominated the post for the Chargers in the third quarter; the senior center combined with Ashley Wilk for 8 defensive rebounds in the frame as Rosary (3-6, 0-3) did not score any second-chance points off its 12 missed shots from the floor.
Rosa finished with 8 points and a game-high 12 rebounds.
Wilk was equally effective in the low block for Aurora Central, scoring 12 points and collecting 11 rebounds.
Lisa Rodriquez, the Chargers’ fifth starter, personified the defensive tenacity and scored 7 points before fouling out late in the game.
Amplifying the long-held belief of the importance of the end of the second quarter and the beginning of the third frame, Aurora Central left an indelible impression.
“We were right there with them with about three minutes to play (before halftime),” Rosary coach Dave Beebe said. “It just seemed like all the momentum carried over (into the third quarter).”
“We picked up our intensity on defense, and I think that was the difference,” ACC coach Mark Fitzgerald said.
Bila scored 16 points to lead all players for Rosary, which also received 11 points from Lane.