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Aurora Central Catholic drops season opener

Aurora Central Catholic joined Aurora Christian's Burney Wilkie Classic for the first time this year, which in addition to keeping the Chargers closer to home it also delayed the start of their season a week.

That was fine with coach Nate Drye. The players? Not so much.

"The kids have been itching to play," Drye said. "I haven't been itching to play. There would have been a mutiny if we went another week of practice without a game. We could use probably another month of practice."

That showed at times during the Chargers' season opener Tuesday, a 73-57 loss to a Joliet Catholic team that already had four games under its belt.

The Chargers (0-1) fell behind by 13 points at halftime and made a run behind the shooting from Brett Czerak (21 points) and Mac Cowen with 17 points.

In the end they had no answer for Joliet Catholic's Jalen Jackson and Drake Fellows. The duo scored 27 and 18 points, respectively, for the Hilltoppers (2-3).

"We've got a lot to work on. We'll get better," Drye said. "They are a good shooting team. We tried to make some adjustments at half. Once we got into them I thought we did a little bit better and we had a nice run there."

Czerak drove for a basket late in the first quarter, his 15th point of the opening quarter, to put the Chargers ahead 16-15.

Jackson answered with a 3 in the waning seconds, giving the Hilltoppers an 18-16 lead after a quarter - and they never trailed again.

Jackson scored Joliet Catholic's first five points of the second quarter. The Hilltoppers went on to outscore the Chargers 21-10 in the quarter to take control 39-26 at halftime.

Joliet Catholic built its lead to as much as 55-38 on another Jackson 3 late in the third.

The Chargers responded with their best stretch of basketball. Evan Schuetz started a 13-1 run with a 3, Mac Cowen canned another deep trey and then found Eddie Cange for a 3-pointer that just beat the buzzer to bring the Chargers within 55-47 going to the fourth.

"I thought we kept playing," Drye said. "We kept fighting. It's going to be a process. We're not anywhere near where we're going to be at the end of the year."

A pair of Czerak free throws got the Chargers within 56-51, but they would get no closer. Joliet Catholic scored the next 10 points and weren't threatened again.

"I thought the Aurora kids did a great job for their first game of the season," Joliet Catholic coach Joe Gura said. "I'm very pleased with our poise. I thought we got tips and steals and layups. We're starting to feel like we understand what we need to do. We're young too."

Joliet Catholic played five defenses against a Charger squad missing returning starter Nick Faltz and a team that played three freshmen: Will Courter, Zach Smith and Kyle Czerak.

"I thought the freshmen did fine," Drye said.

The Chargers turned to Brett Czerak early - 19 of his 21 points came in the first half, and Cowen and Schuetz late - 20 of their 26 points came in the second half.

"Brett carried us in the first half, Mac did in the second half," Drye said. "They both did a nice job. We want to get them both going the whole game. They can really go like that."

Thirty of the Chargers' points came on 3-point baskets, which could be the norm this year.

"We're going to put up a lot of 3s," Dye said. "I think we shoot it pretty well."

Images: Aurora Central Catholic vs. Joliet Catholic, boys basketball

  Aurora Central Catholic's Brett Czerak gets Joliet Catholic's Jalen Jackson in the air with a pump fake during Tuesday's game at Aurora Christian's 4th annual Burney Wilkie Classic. Rick West/rwest@dailyherald.com
  Aurora Central Catholic coach Nathan Drye directs the defense to press after an offensive turnover against Joliet Catholic during Tuesday's game at Aurora Christian's 4th annual Burney Wilkie Classic. Rick West/rwest@dailyherald.com
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