Pickett’s treys revive Blackhawks
PONTIAC, Ill. — West Aurora’s large early lead had evaporated. Lockport charged back to tie the game after three quarters Tuesday, and the Blackhawks were reeling.
“They were on the run, and we had to get something going,” West Aurora sophomore Josh Pickett said. “I always trust myself in those moments.”
Pickett, who boasts a quick release on his shot, drained two pretty three-pointers to open the fourth quarter, then nailed a third — a gift off the backboard that clearly deflated the Porters.
“I don’t know what happened on that one, but thankfully I was able to hit [the shots] and we came out with the win,” Pickett said.
West Aurora beat Lockport 46-37 in the opening game of the 90th Pontiac Holiday Tournament, which returned after 729 days, having been canceled last year because of COVID-19. The last time the prestigious tournament missed a year was 1946, the last year of a five-year hiatus resulting from World War II.
“It was great to be the team that started it up again,” West Aurora coach Brian Johnson said.
The Blackhawks (8-3) jumped out to a 15-0 lead, and the Porters (7-4) spent the next 12 game minutes trying to erase the deficit. They finally tied it on a free throw by senior Niko Vassilakis with 4:22 left in the third quarter.
“We were playing really good defense and rebounding and forcing them to miss shots and turn the ball over,” Pickett said. “But obviously, they started getting their stuff together.”
West Aurora had 25 turnovers for the game, which allowed Lockport back in. But the Porters shot just 2-for-19 from threepoint range.
“We have to find a way to start faster,” Porters coach Brett Hespell said. “But ultimately, it comes down to making the shots. We had some open looks in the fourth quarter. So did they, and they made them.”
Pickett, who played at St. Rita last year, finished with 14 points and five rebounds. Senior Ty Rogers led West Aurora with 17 points and six rebounds.
“We came in as the 11th seed, and we know we are a much better team,” Rogers said. “It was kind of disrespectful, so we took it as our role in the tournament to show people that.”
Senior Julius Smith scored nine for Lockport, and Ethan Gallagher added eight points and six rebounds.
West Aurora will next face New Trier in the quarterfinals Wednesday.
St. Charles North and Danville also played an entertaining first-round game. The downstate Vikings jumped out to a 16-point lead early, but North Stars big man Ethan Marlowe stepped up and led a 15-0 run in the second quarter to get his team back in the game. The North Stars won 70-47; Marlowe finished with 22 points and 14 rebounds.
“We have a lot of juniors and seniors that have never played at Pontiac before,” Marlowe said. “The teams in this tournament are going to come out and give you their best, so that was definitely a wake-up call. But we’ll be ready for the next game.”