Glenbard East stuns West Aurora
Glenbard East proved Wednesday night it is still a factor in the DuPage Valley Conference boys basketball proceedings.
West Aurora, in the teams' rescheduled game from nearly three weeks ago, was looking to knot the league standings with Naperville North at home.
But the Rams, with a punishing perimeter attack that resulted in 11 3-pointers, withstood the Blackhawks' fourth-quarter comeback attempt to pull out a 56-51 triumph in Aurora.
“It has taken a lot longer for this team to gel,” Glenbard East coach Scott Miller said after his two-time defending league champions improved to 11-10 overall, 5-5 in the conference. “We feel like we're a better team.”
West Aurora missed 5 straight free throws, including a pair with 43 seconds to play and a chance to take the lead, in the waning minutes to fall to 18-4, 8-2.
“That sort of killed us,” West Aurora coach Gordie Kerkman said, “though you don't know how (Glenbard East) would have responded (on a potential final possession).”
West Aurora took a 12-6 lead after an equally sluggish first quarter of play as both teams shot 3-for-12 from the field.
But the Rams caught fire in the second quarter, draining 8-for-11 shots, including five 3-pointers, in totaling 26 points to take a 27-22 lead into the break.
Senior guard Pat Walsh hit four 3-pointers in succession bridging the second and third quarters, and the last of his bombs gave Glenbard East its largest lead of the night at 35-25 midway through the third.
“I had confidence from all over the floor,” said Walsh, who returned for the first time in two weeks after a concussion. “I felt excited to be back.”
West Aurora fought back with a surge of tenacity, highlighted by several hustle plays by the likes of Chandler Thomas, Josh McAuley and Jontrel Walker.
The latter led three West Aurora players in double figures with 14 points, and McAuley had a 3-point play to open the fourth quarter to tie the game at 41-41.
But the Blackhawks would not be able to contain senior Dante Bailey.
The Rams' standout forward had the last of his four 3-pointers on consecutive possessions, and his 3-point play with 4:11 to play gave Glenbard East a 52-47 lead.
Bailey led all players with 21 points.
“I just took my shots in the second half,” Bailey said. “We just came together (down the stretch).”
The other central storyline of the game was the Rams' defense against West Aurora star Juwan Starks, who failed to score from the field in the second half.
Starks' 3-pointer to open the game was his only field goal, though 7 conversions at the line enabled him to finish in double figures for the 20th time this season.
Walsh had 12 points for Glenbard East, and Thomas finished with 10 for West Aurora.