Brown Takes Over

Travis Brown did what he does best – took over the game when it mattered most. The 6-foot-1 junior guard led West Aurora’s comeback against Larkin, finishing with 18 points, eight rebounds, and five steals in a 54-38 win.

It wasn’t looking good for the Blackhawks, who trailed by seven points in the third quarter. But Brown stepped up, scoring back-to-back layups at the end of the quarter to give his team the lead.

A Much-Needed Spark

West Aurora coach Mike Fowler wasn’t surprised by Brown’s performance. ‘We struggled to score from anywhere on the court,’ he said. ‘Travis decided to wake up a little bit.’ Brown was feeling under the weather early on but still managed to get it done.

Brown’s teammates fed off his energy, and the team held Larkin to just 13 points in the second half. The Royals’ Lawrence Sallis had a good game, with 10 points and 12 rebounds, but it wasn’t enough to stop Brown and the Blackhawks.

A Conference Leader

Brown is a frontrunner for conference player of the year for the second straight season, and it’s easy to see why. He’s a ballplayer who always seems to come up big when it matters most. And he’s not intimidated by the pressure – it just gives him confidence.

‘I know they’re coming after me every game,’ Brown said. ‘It gives me confidence. I go into every game like I’m that type of player.’ And he usually is.