Everyone enjoys Batavia's 9th WSC win

As the second half progressed, and as Batavia's girls basketball team began to create space between itself and Yorkville, there was one main thought going through players like Melissa Norville's mind.

"We played really well in the second half," Norville said. "We came out with an attitude of 'We're winning this game' because we wanted everyone to play."

Norville and the other starters got their wish as the final bench players got to enter the Western Sun Conference contest with just under 4 minutes to play. And they all scored. First was Sydney Spain, next was Michelle Tilmon and finally Fayesha Cole hit. Spain added a free throw for a 7-point performance from those who habitually endure more minutes on the bench than on the court.

"It makes us feel really good," Norville said. "They want to play just as much as everyone else on the team. We feel really good when they score."

The strong finale by the bench players capped a 59-36 Batavia victory in its final home game for awhile. The Bulldogs hit the road for 5 straight games, returning to their home court on Jan. 26 to play DeKalb.

Thursday's game was solid from start to finish for Batavia (14-2, 9-0), which never trailed against the Foxes (5-11, 1-5.)

Bulldogs coach Tim DeBruycker was pleased with the way the final girls to enter the game performed.

"That's nice," he said. "I tell the starters that sometimes their job is to get us a nice lead, so we can give those girls who work so hard in practice their opportunity. (Tilmon) took her first shot and looked down because she missed it. I said 'You get that again, you take it.' And she made it.

"(Spain) will shoot the ball," DeBruycker said. "She's very quick and has good hands. She can give us some quality playing time off the bench. It's nice to give them the opportunity and it's even nicer when they step up."

After getting burned from the outside early, Batavia worked to shut down Yorkville's main scoring threats: Sarah O'Leary and Natalie Beck. O'Leary finished with 13 points and Beck had 10 -- but 15 of those combined 23 points came in the first half.

"We gave some open 3s," DeBruycker said. "I told Natalie (Tarter) to get up on O'Leary and we had (Norville) on Beck. I said to try to eliminate their 3s and make them go to the basket."

Yorkville did not hit a 3-pointer in the second half, though the Foxes were still within 33-28 midway through the quarter. The key run started at that point. Batavia outscored Yorkville 19-2 in a run that ended almost 3 minutes into the fourth quarter.

Tarter scored 7 of her game-high 20 points in the third quarter, and Kelsey Oswald added 6 points.

"We were going to the basket," DeBruycker said. "(Tarter) was getting those fast breaks. (Norville) does the same thing and it just worked out in the second half."

Just as important, the Bulldogs forced 8 third quarter turnovers and 17 in the second half.