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Bartlett beats West Aurora behind Hare's 27

If Bartlett coach Brad Hunt was hoping Mackenzie Hare could fly under the radar a little longer, the freshman is quickly blowing her cover.

Hare drained seven 3-pointers Tuesday night and scored 27 points in the Hawks' 52-38 win over West Aurora, keeping Bartlett (8-2, 5-0) undefeated in the Upstate Eight Conference.

"I can't hide her anymore," Hunt said. "Teams know about her now. She can light it up. She's really, really good. She's lethal. You give her a half a step and she's going to knock it down."

Hare is following in the footsteps of her sister McKayla, a senior on last year's team who left as the school's all-time leader in 3-point baskets and steals and averaged over 19 points a game.

"We're always really competitive," Mackenzie said of her sister, not hesitating in calling herself the better shooter. "My teammates just make it easy for me to fit right in. My teammates found a way to get it to me on the outside."

West Aurora (6-3, 3-2) brought normal starters Jalyssa Carrasco and Dajour Miles off the bench because of recent hamstring and knee injuries, and Bartlett capitalized, outscoring the Blackhawks 15-0 to start the game.

Teagan Noesen opened the scoring with a 3-point shot, Hare hit her first 3, Shelly Banks scored on a putback, then Hare buried another 3 and converted a 3-point play in transition off a steal to make it 14-0.

Hare made three 3s and scored 12 points in the first half, then connected on four more 3s and scored 15 points in the second half.

"She's a lights out shooter," Bartlett sophomore Justina Hernandez said. "Whenever I get the chance I try to pass to her because I know she's going to make the shot."

Hernandez and Lexi Sinclair were both effective on the defensive end, combining for 12 steals. Offensively they drove and kicked out, often finding Hare for open 3s.

Bartlett led 20-2 early in the second quarter before West Aurora rallied. Carrasco began the comeback with a jumper, and a 3-point play from Miles pulled the Blackhawks within 25-12 at halftime.

Olivia Vanderwoude scored 6 quick points to the start the second half as the Blackhawks won the third quarter 19-10 to trim the 18-point deficit to 35-31 starting the fourth. After making just 3 of 24 shots in the first half, West Aurora converted 9 of 17 in the third quarter.

"That (missing two starters) set us off at the beginning but we found our groove, came back," West Aurora first-year coach Teresa Waldinger said. "It was a good battle. Come back tomorrow and work on those little areas we have to fix."

The Blackhawks couldn't keep their hot shooting in the third quarter going over the final eight minutes, hitting just 3 of 9. They also turned the ball over 7 times, including Sinclair's steal and breakaway layup to open the quarter.

Hare's final 3 midway through the quarter and another Sinclair layup pushed the lead to 48-35 as West Aurora's comeback ran out of steam.

"We had to take control on defense and we were getting messed up because of their pressure and we just had to calm down, take a deep breath," Hare said.

Noesen and Hernandez both added 8 points and Sinclair scored 7 for the Hawks, who play Larkin Thursday and St. Charles East Friday before next week's showdown with the other UEC unbeaten, South Elgin.

"We came out hot and then I think we got a little complacent," Hunt said. "They are a good team and they came back and fought. Luckily we are a good enough team we weathered the storm."

Carrasco scored 11 points and Alaysia Stewart grabbed 8 rebounds for West Aurora who outrebounded Bartlett, 39-29.

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