Mia Moore and Anastasia Bellamy shoulder most of the offensive load for East Aurora.
The duo did so again Wednesday night against visiting Glenbard East.
Moore, an electric junior guard, totaled a game-high 23 points and 11 rebounds. Bellamy, a 6-foot-2 sophomore center, added 10 points and eight rebounds.
Those performances highlighted a fourth straight victory for the Tomcats, who prevailed 47-42 in overtime in Upstate Eight Conference play.
They did have a little help, though.
“It’s next-girl-up mentality,” East Aurora coach Lee Clayborn said. “We finally got that game where we did it without both of them.”
Both Bellamy and Moore struggled with foul trouble. Bellamy fouled out with 2:49 left in regulation and Moore exited with 39 seconds left in OT.
Not to worry.
Sophomore forward Estefany Sixto and senior guard Delmarea Willis stepped up for the Tomcats (14-16, 12-6) in a game the Rams (11-19, 9-9) never led until scoring the first four points of OT.
Sixto, who had taken just one shot, then made a 16-footer to cut the deficit to 41-39.
“I’m used to Mia shooting it,” said Sixto, who was promoted to varsity at midseason. “But I got the ball, I’m open, so I was going to shoot it for the team.”
“She really helped us out,” Moore said.
“That was the big shot,” Clayborn said.
Moore then made 5 of 6 free throws in the next minute of play but was called for a charge, her fifth foul. That came with 39 seconds remaining and East Aurora holding a 44-41 lead.
When she objected, she was hit with a technical.
“Ref said she didn’t swear but she got the tech for arguing,” Clayborn said.
It could have been a big swing, but the Rams made just 1 of 4 free throws and then missed a shot on the ensuing possession, with Sixto diving on the floor to force a jump ball.
The alternate possession gave the ball to East Aurora.
“Sixto has a strong upper body and a nose for the ball,” Clayborn said.
Willis then took charge, drawing two fouls in the final 26 seconds and making 3 of 4 free throws.
“I’m a senior and the oldest on the team,” Willis said. “I have to take the pressure and step up. I had confidence because of all the work we’ve done on free throws in practice.
“Losing (Bellamy and Moore) is big because they are our floor generals. They run the floor, but it was time for other people to step up.”
One to watch: The playoffs begin next week in all four classes, and the most intriguing regional final involving two area teams could come at Class 4A Addison Trail.
It would be a rubber match between DuKane Conference rivals Batavia and St. Charles North, who are seeded third and sixth, respectively.
The Bulldogs and North Stars have had two battles, with Batavia winning 54-47 in overtime in December and St. Charles North winning 56-54 Tuesday.
In Tuesday’s semifinals, Batavia plays 14th-seeded Glenbard East and St. Charles North plays 12th-seeded Addison Trail.
“If each of us plays to our capability, we may get there,” Batavia coach Kevin Jensen said.
Both teams are led by a strong point guard and post player, respectively — Alyssa Hughes and Erin Stack for the North Stars and Brooke Carlson and Tessa Towers for the Bulldogs.
“I think both of us Tuesday were thinking, ‘What do we want to show and what do we want to hold back,'” Jensen said.
Geneva has the top seed in the 17-team Bartlett Sectional and hosts a regional. Teams from the DuKane Conference have every seed except the fifth at Bartlett.
The club grows: Three more area players reached the 1,000-point club.
Batavia’s Towers and St. Charles East’s Torrie Kortan achieved the feat in the same game, a 67-59 win for the Saints.
“Each got their 1,000th just minutes apart,” Jensen said.
West Aurora’s Riley Mont also joined the club. The four-year starter, who has battled through several injuries, scored 23 points in a win over Oswego.
Mont leads her team, averaging 15.3 points and 6.2 rebounds.
“After essentially playing four half seasons, we feel this is an incredible accomplishment,” West Aurora coach Teresa Waldinger said of Mont.