West Aurora handles Wheaton North
When West Aurora star Juwan Starks went to the bench with three fouls in the third quarter Friday night, Wheaton North was in the process of cutting a double-digit deficit to 6 points.
By the time Starks re-entered the game in the fourth quarter, the Blackhawks had not only maintained their lead without their four-year starter, they had extended it to 14 points.
Bench sparkplug Brandon Gossett capped West Aurora’s solid team play by swishing a 25-footer to beat the third-quarter buzzer giving the Blackhawks a 49-35 lead in a game they went on to win 68-54.
Gossett finished with 14 points off the bench to join Starks (16 points) and a brilliant all-around game from sophomore guard Jontrell Walker (19 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals) in leading West Aurora’s balanced attack.
“I possibly get criticized he (Starks) doesn’t get more points and so forth but that’s just the way we play,” West Aurora coach Gordie Kerkman said. “We’re looking for a balanced attack. I’d much rather get that balanced scoring than some guy get 30 all the time and everybody else standing around and watching.”
Kerkman said he doesn’t consider Walker a sophomore now that he’s had two seasons of varsity basketball. While West Aurora was coming off a 3-1 showing at the Pontiac Tournament, Walker wasn’t happy with his play.
“I really came out trying to be aggressive,” Walker said. “I felt the last couple games I didn’t play my greatest. I just wanted to make a contribution to the team and help them win.”
Wheaton North (4-9, 1-3) went on an 11-0 run late in the first quarter to grab its biggest lead of the game at 17-8. Gossett’s corner 3 ended that run and started the Blackhawks on a 19-3 surge the rest of the first half.
West Aurora (12-2, 4-0) didn’t allow a field goal in the second quarter in taking a 27-20 halftime lead.
“We just picked up our defense,” Walker said. “We figured if we get a stop, push, get a score offensively and get transition points.”
Six-foot-11 junior Andrew Zelis scored 10 straight Wheaton North points in the third quarter that brought the Falcons within 39-33 with Starks on the bench. But West Aurora responded first with Jayquan Lee’s 3 on Walker’s assist, then a pair of Walker free throws and finally Gossett’s 5 points to end the quarter.
A pair of 3s from Sam Otto helped Wheaton North outscore West Aurora 13-2 to open the fourth quarter and pull within 51-48. With 3:36 left Matt Biegalski’s 3-pointer kept the Falcons within 56-51.
Again Gossett came up with a timely play, assisting another key reserve Joshua McAuley for a basket at the rim to make it 58-51. That bucket also started a string of 10 straight West Aurora points to put the game away, highlighted by Walker finding Starks in transition for a 2-hand slam.
“Every time they scored we tried to come right back,” Walker said. “We kept our heads up, kept our intensity up and stayed aggressive for the whole game.”
Gossett and McAuley (8 points, 5 blocked shots) combined for 22 points off West Aurora’s bench while the Falcons also got a lift from their reserves with 20 points paced by Biegalski’s 12.
“Brandon Gossett did a great job off the bench,” Walker said. “He’s a great scorer. Not only can he shoot it he can pass. Just a real good contribution.”
Wheaton North coach Jim Nazos brought up sophomore Clayton Thorson for Friday’s game. Thorson hit a pair of free throws and grabbed 3 rebounds while helping fill in for point guard Ryan Jordan who left the game in the first quarter with an ankle injury.
“I think we kept coming back,” said Nazos, who hoped to have Jordan back in about a week. “I liked the way we competed. There are things we have to get better at and we will. They are a good team and are really good in this building.”
Otto and Zelis both scored 14 points to lead Wheaton North while Isaac Oberlin helped the Falcons get off to a good start by holding Starks scoreless in the first quarter.
“Isaac is a real good defensive player and somebody that welcomes a challenge,” Nazos said. “That team (West Aurora) proved they are a team tonight. They are a lot more than Juwan Starks. They have guys who can shoot and make plays.”