Boys Basketball: West Aurora tops West Chicago despite slow start

Updated: February 18, 2012 10:02PM

West Aurora’s boys basketball team left it all on the line in Friday’s win over Naperville North, which gave the Blackhawks a share of the DVC title.

That showed early on against West Chicago Saturday.

The Blackhawks came out sluggish, falling behind 11-0, before recovering with a strong second half in a 57-42 win. The win sets up a showdown with one of the DVC teams that toppled them this season, Glenbard East, Wednesday with a share of their first DVC crown in six years on the line.

“We were drained emotionally and physically,” said senior Juwan Starks, who played the final home game of his illustrious career. “We played our hearts out last night with first place on the line. We were all off today.”

West Aurora (21-6 overall, 11-2 DVC) didn’t score until Starks’ drive to the bucket with 2:37 left in the first quarter. Three pointers from John Konchar and Justin Mundt staked West Chicago (6-20, 0-13) to an 11-0 lead to start the game.

The Blackhawks started the second quarter off with a 9-2 run to cut the lead to 14-13, but the Wildcats still managed to take a 22-18 lead into the break.

“We were walking in our sleep out there,” West Aurora coach Gordie Kerkman said. “I just challenged their heart and their head, that’s all. (Assistant coach Dan Batka) probably did as much talking as I did. He was probably more coherent than I was.”

West Aurora wasted little time taking control of the game at the start of the third. Starks hit a pair of free throws to start it off. Jayquan Lee followed with a steal off an inbounds pass and a lay-up. Josh McAuley then stole the ensuing inbounds pass and Starks found Spencer Thomas for a lay-up, and suddenly the Blackhawks took a 24-22 lead. West Chicago never led again.

West Aurora started the fourth quarter off with a 10-2 run to push the lead to 47-33. The Blackhawks then finished the game on an 8-0 run to win by their largest margin of the game, 15 points.

Starks is chasing Billy Taylor’s school scoring record. He scored only nine points Saturday, which leaves him at 1,541 all-time. Taylor finished his record-setting career with 1,613 points.

Jontrel Walker paced the Blackhawks with 13 points Saturday, with McAuley adding 10. Dylan Hedmark led all scorers for West Chicago with 14 points. Mundt scored 11 points and Konchar added 10 in the loss.

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