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West Aurora, Howard too much for Glenbard East

Even after scoring the game's first two baskets in the first 90 seconds Thursday, West Aurora senior guard Marquis Howard still had no idea how big his basketball night would become at Glenbard East.

By the time he came out for good midway through the third quarter, Howard had collected a personal-high 26 points on 10-of-11 shooting with six 3-pointers as the Blackhawks rolled to a 72-38 Upstate Eight Conference Valley Division victory in Lombard.

“I feel like the first two or three shots, I'm like, ‘I just can't miss.' My teammates kept finding me and I kept shooting,” Howard said. “It completely took me by surprise. I didn't know it was going to happen like this.”

Howard had 14 points and four of his 3s to pace a season-best 28-point second quarter by the Blackhawks (4-3, 2-1) that opened a 40-14 halftime advantage. West Aurora then scored the first 15 points of the third quarter with three more baskets from Howard, including a wide-open 3 to complete the run.

Illinois State-recruit Roland Griffin and Reggie Jordan each had 8 points. Tommy Koth and freshman Camron Donatlan each added 7.

“I think most of the guys who normally play for us played pretty good,” West Aurora coach Gordie Kerkman said. “If (Howard) gets on a roll, he probably could have gotten more. He's got a bad-looking shot. He doesn't get good backspin on the ball. He's got a side rotation on it, but when he gets in a rhythm (they fall), and Reggie's the same way.”

Howard previously had never scored more than 20 points in a game. This time he had 19 of the team's first 34 points as he said the basket looked as big as “an ocean.”

As a team, the Blackhawks made 11 of 13 shots in the second quarter with Jordan and Matt Dunn combining for 5 assists. They received a boost from Griffin and Jordan entering the lineup after both sitting out the first quarter, which ended with the Blackhawks ahead 12-7.

“Just our defense, our help side (improved). Coach talked about it at the end of the first quarter,” Howard said. “And then my shots were falling. I've got to thank my teammates for that, but we got going on defense.”

The Rams (4-3, 2-1) committed 9 turnovers on their first 18 possessions and were 5 of 22 from the field in the first half.

Junior Zach Walsh had 14 points and two of the Rams' four 3-pointers. This was their first of six games minus starting junior forward Patrick Peterkin.

“We've just got to compete and we've got to take care of the basketball,” Glenbard East coach Scott Miller said. “That's the bottom line — too many turnovers and we didn't play hard enough.”

Griffin missed West Aurora's first two UEC games last weekend for disciplinary reasons. The Blackhawks lost to Bartlett 86-83 in triple overtime Dec. 5. The next night the Rams beat Bartlett 57-47 by outscoring the Hawks 19-4 in the fourth quarter.

On Thursday, Griffin scored the last two baskets of the first half, including a huge jam in transition after sophomore Luis Motola-Sanchez blocked back-to-back shots.

“(Griffin) can get the ball to the basket, he plays defense, rebounds. He's the whole package,” Kerkman said. “He didn't do much tonight, but he can do a lot. People haven't seen it yet, but he's developed into a pretty good 3-point shooter. He just hasn't let go.”

Although this game is relatively early in the season, the Blackhawks played like a team that didn't want to suffer a second loss in conference play.

“It's always tough when you lose your first game of the conference, but we've probably done it before and finished pretty strong,” Kerkman said. “I don't know when, but in 38 years (as coach) it's probably happened.”

  West Aurora's Marquis Howard drives around Glenbard East's Jack Grigat during boys basketball Thursday in Lombard. Mark Black/mblack@dailyherald.com
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