Marian Catholic hands West Aurora first loss

Not even Dajour Miles' state-championship track speed could slow down Marian Catholic Saturday afternoon at Waubonsie Valley in Aurora.

In a battle of unbeaten girls basketball teams at the War-Hawk Thanksgiving Tournament, Marian Catholic unleashed a barrage of 3-pointers with devastating effect against co-host West Aurora to end the first quarter and begin the second.

Marian Catholic guard Jaylene Wade hit a 30-foot bomb at the first-quarter horn as part of three consecutive 3-pointers to bridge the quarters as the Spartans built a 22-point lead early in the second.

The Blackhawks were game competitors for the rest of the contest, but Marian Catholic prevailed 70-45.

"About the (first-quarter) buzzer beater, it was a bunch of confidence," said Wade, who scored all 10 of her points in the first. "It went in. I was happy. We are much improved from last year. We can shoot 3s."

The Spartans (5-0) hit six of their seven 3-pointers in the opening half in building a commanding 44-20 lead.

"We should have been more prepared for (the Spartans' perimeter attack)," said West Aurora guard Skylar Doby, the lone Blackhawk in double figures with 12 points. "We take the loss as a learning experience. We were more focused on their post players, instead of their guards."

But West Aurora (4-1) played admirably in the third quarter.

Miles, the Class 3A state champion at 400 meters last spring, was operating at far less than full capacity.

"She's our best player," West Aurora coach Connie Siljendahl said of Miles. "She scored 32 points in a game the other night. She is sick. She could only play a couple of minutes at a time. She couldn't breathe."

Kiyanna Rogers and Deva Tomas also converted 3-pointers for West Aurora in the Blackhawks' 19-14 mini-victory over the Spartans in the third quarter.

Siljendahl cannot wait for the regular season of her final campaign to commence.

"We have great athletes," Siljendahl said. "They have been playing with each other their whole lives. They play very well together. The kids (at West Aurora) take such pride in the history and tradition of their school."

West Aurora welcomed its first students two years after the Civil War ended and its athletic history dates to 1893.

Antoinette Kennebrew drained a 3-pointer for West Aurora late in the first quarter to trim the Marian lead to 17-10.

But the Spartans applied a death-grip 15-0 run in response.

Shannan Mitchell had 17 points to lead all players for Marian.

West Aurora's Essence Rayford, also saddled by illness, had 8 points.

"All my feisty guards were sick," Siljendahl said.

Tomas finished with 6 points for the Blackhawks; Miles, Rogers and Kennebrew each added 5.