Quick hands. Quick feet. Disrupt on the defensive end.
That, or words to that effect, according to West Aurora’s Jordan Brooks, is part of the message from first-year coach Michael Fowler that seems to be sinking in.
“It’s kind of crazy, but that’s our job, to go out there on the defensive end and get it done,” Brooks said. “Do that and we can go from there for the rest of it. Our main focus is defense.
“Guys are going out every night and that’s what we want, causing all these turnovers. Causing a ruckus on the defensive end.”
Brooks had his hands involved in a little bit of everything Tuesday night.
The 6-foot-2 senior guard scored eight points with five rebounds, two assists and two steals for the Blackhawks in a 50-29 Southwest Prairie West victory over Minooka.
Junior guard/forward Terrence Smith led West Aurora (8-2, 5-0) with a game-high 16 points and CJ Savage added 11. Micah Hamilton had 13 points for Minooka (3-7, 2-3).
Defense was the name of this game, however. The Blackhawks turned 15 of Minooka’s 18 turnovers into steals.
And it was the second night in a row West Aurora held an opponent to 29 points following Monday’s 44-29 nonconference win over Naperville Central.
“I think a lot of our first half energy, defensive-wise, was good,” Fowler said. “We were getting out and running to a 20-6 lead after one quarter. I couldn’t ask for more as a coach defensively.”
Not with seven steals in the quarter fueling the run.
“Offensively, we still have to clean some stuff up,” Fowler said. “We were taking some decent shots — we just didn’t make ’em.”
The Blackhawks made enough, though, especially with the Indians limited to single-digit scoring in each quarter.
What was so special about the Blackhawks’ man-to-man that featured plenty of help from teammates?
“We try to keep the ball on one side of the floor so we try to attack,” said Smith, who had a game-high four steals. “We don’t want to let the ball go back to the middle. Keep more people in the box.”
Minooka coach Brett Hespell said inexperience hurt his team.
“(West Aurora) seems to be forcing people to the left, and they do a good job of it and don’t let you come back,” Hespell said. “Then it’s tough, especially if you don’t have a lot of skill with the ball to make a play.
“It takes a lot of patience and continuous movement.”
Let Fowler tell it.
“It’s just a no middle third type of defense,” Fowler said. “We try not to allow ball reversals, so take the offense out and we force sideline. We want to push down to the baseline, then we help on the baseline, trying to take them out of their offense.
“They’ve taken note of it, and they’re buying into it very well.”
Brooks, who’s playing for his third varsity coach in three years after transferring from Oswego following his sophomore season, has had recruiting contact from NCAA Division II and Division III schools.
He’s looking to have a big senior year.
“I haven’t been getting anything going consistently on offense lately,” Brooks said. “But when that happens, I try to do extra things like get a rebound or a stop on defense.”
He’s also someone Fowler wants on the floor.
“He’s just a steady player,” Fowler said of Brooks. “He’s someone who has to be out there at both ends of the floor. He understands the game pretty well and does a good job for us.
“It’s basketball. They’ve gotta play both sides of the court, and he does that. I appreciate his effort.”
