Jacob Baumann and Asa Johnson see another super-sized future for Aurora Christian. ‘They were grizzled veterans.'
If the Aurora Christian boys basketball team didn't belong here, experienced juniors Jacob Baumann and Asa Johnson didn't get the message. They wanted to prove that point.
The Eagles were seeded fifth in the sectional they won. Three sophomore starters also grew up as the program reached the supersectional for the second straight year and third time since 2020.
And at Northern Illinois, no less.
'It is a bit tougher because of all the lights shining on you, plus it's a bigger facility and court,' Baumann said of playing on the college floor. 'I think it's a lot more spacious and you're able to drive, and there's not much help because the court is so wide.
'I kind of like that aspect of it, but (Lanark) Eastland's pressure was definitely unexpected.'
Baumann, a high-scoring guard, ended up leading Aurora Christian with 13 points Monday night, but the top-seeded Cougars rode a 10-2 spurt in the fourth quarter to take control for a 51-43 victory in the Class 1A NIU Supersectional at the Convocation Center.
Lanark Eastland (33-4) advances to an 11:15 a.m. Thursday semifinal at the State Farm Center in Champaign against Peoria Christian (28-9), a 66-49 winner over Greenfield co-op (24-11).
A 6-foot-4 forward, Johnson added 11 points and a team-high five steals for the Eagles (19-13) in a game that developed into a monumental defensive struggle.
'You have two teams that really focus on defense,' Aurora Christian coach Dan Beebe said. 'Both really hang their hat on defense, so what you got was a cold, classic slugout with a great defensive effort from both teams. And that showed up on the offensive end.'
How?
Both teams combined for just one offensive rebound in a game featuring 15 turnovers for the Eagles and 16 for the Cougars.
'I guess I didn't expect their pressure because they didn't show much on film,' Baumann said of the second half. 'It was definitely unexpected. I should have made smarter decisions and not turned it over as much.'
Aurora Christian trailed 19-16 at halftime and 32-25 after three quarters, but Baumann connected on a 3-pointer and a 3-point play in the first 90 seconds of the fourth to cut the deficit to 34-31.
The Cougars, who started five upperclassmen and shot 64% (21 of 33) by pounding the ball inside, responded with the 10-2 burst to grab momentum.
'They definitely had grit and knew they were one win from being at state,' Johnson said. 'They might not have shown it on film, but I think when adversity hit, they realized it.
'Kind of put their defense first and let their offense come from that.'
Junior forward Parker Krogman led Eastland with 16 points and senior guard Adam Awender added 12.
Junior forward Zyacn Haverland had the lone offensive rebound early in the second quarter, scoring two of his eight points on a putback.
'They're a very aggressive team,' Johnson said. 'I locked into No. 10 (Haverland) who was a pretty big boy, so I knew I had to stay attached to him.
'I think I got too attached and let some others get away from me, not being able to play help defense.'
Making seven 3-pointers to the Cougars' one helped the Eagles keep it close, but they didn't have enough firepower in the end.
'When you get the momentum, you've gotta keep it going,' Baumann said. 'You have to keep the intensity up on defense.'
Coming up short in the super, though, will only put more bricks on Aurora Christian's foundation.
'These two guys to my right are juniors in theory, but they've played a lot of games,' Beebe said of Baumann and Johnson in the postgame interview. 'That includes downstate last year. They're essentially senior in terms of leadership, and we get them back next year.
'The three sophomores started the season like sophomores. Early, it was truly Basketball 101, but by the end of the year, they were grizzled veterans.'
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