There's no place like home for the Joliet West Tigers, who bounced back after a tough loss on the road last Thursday. They came out on top in a nail-biter against West Aurora on Friday and snuck past 47-45. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest win Joliet West has posted yet this season.
Multiple players turned in solid performances to lead Joliet West to victory, but perhaps none more so than Maziah Shelton, who scored 12 points. Another player making a difference was Brooke Schwall, who scored nine points.
When it comes to explaining why West Aurora lost, one person who can't be blamed is Niallie Evans. Despite the final result, she scored 13 points along with five rebounds and three steals. Evans hasn't dropped below two steals for three straight games. Brooklynn Johnson was another key contributor, scoring 14 points.
Joliet West pushed their record up to 11-9 with that victory, which was their fourth straight at home. Those victories were due in large part to their offensive dominance across that stretch, as they averaged 55.0 points per game. As for West Aurora, their defeat dropped their record down to 9-12.
Both teams will have to hit the road in their upcoming games. Joliet West will face off against Oswego East at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Oswego East knows how to get points on the board -- the team has finished with flashy point totals in its past four contests -- so hopefully Joliet West likes a good challenge. West Aurora won't have much time to rest: their next game is against Waubonsie Valley at 11:00 a.m. on January 20th. Waubonsie Valley is strutting with some offensive muscle, as they've averaged 64.9 points per game.
