West Aurora kept its faint Upstate Eight Valley title hopes alive Friday night with a 64-27 dismantling of league leader Neuqua Valley.
“I don’t know if there is an explanation — they were just fantastic tonight,” Neuqua Valley coach Todd Sutton said of the Blackhawks, who opened the game with an 11-0 run and were in complete control throughout.
Sutton does know he won’t be watching a replay of the game, in which team scoring leader Connor Raridon was held to four points on a pair of free throws and one field goal for the No. 15 Wildcats.
“I’ll never see it,” Sutton said. “I’ll send it to you if you want.”
West Aurora (16-7, 8-3) earned coach Gordie Kerkman his 799th career victory and can get him 800 Saturday at East Aurora. The Blackhawks will need help, though, to keep their conference hopes alive even after avenging a 52-47 loss on Dec. 19 to Neuqua Valley (21-4, 10-2).
The Wildcats have two league games remaining, the Blackhawks three.
“We just wanted to come out and play good and show that we’re capable of being conference champs,” said West Aurora freshman Camron Donatlan, who scored a game-high 19 points in his third varsity start.
Roland Griffin, the Blackhawks’ 6-foot-6 senior leader, scored 15 points. West Aurora dominated the boards 27-13 this time after losing the rebound battle 36-18 in the first meeting.
Griffin had eight rebounds, Tommy Koth six and Donatlan four to go with his four steals.
West Aurora led 30-13 at the half and kept the pressure on with a 9-2 run to open the third quarter, highlighted by a 3-pointer from Griffin.
“I can’t explain it and I don’t think Todd Sutton can either,” Kerkman said. “How do you explain that score? They’re not that bad a basketball team.”
Player of the game: Camron Donatlan, West Aurora, 19 points, 4 rebounds, 4 steals.
Key performers: Neuqua Valley — Demond George, 7 points. West Aurora — Roland Griffin, 15 points, 8 rebounds.
