Allen rallies Huskies past Orangemen

Aurora coach Kevin Asher noticed Canon Allen was quiet during the first half against Beatrice, coming off a game two days prior where he scored 19 points in a win.
A challenge in the locker room from the head coach was all Allen needed and Beatrice wasn’t ready for the firecracker that went off.
Allen scored 20 second-half points, including 11 of the Huskies’ 12 to finish the third quarter, lifting Aurora to a 52-44 win at home Saturday over the Orangemen.
It was a game in which the Huskies trailed 26-21 at the half as Asher pointed out was a good test of poise within the Aurora locker room.
“These guys understood and stayed together as a team,” Asher explained postgame. “They played better defense in the second half and our contesting shots was really good there. We also had some guys hit some big shots when we needed them.”
In the second half, a lot of that came from No. 1 as Allen accounted for 11 of the Huskies’ 16 third-quarter points.
Booker Scheierman helped keep Aurora afloat early in the second half before back-to-back shots from Allen, the second of which a three-pointer cut the Beatrice lead to 31-30 with 2:53 left in the quarter.
The Orangemen responded well out of a timeout, but Allen eventually tied the game at the free throw line with 85 seconds left in the quarter.
No. 1 finished the quarter with a flurry, scoring in transition and off a turnover at the buzzer to give the Huskies a 37-33 advantage entering the final eight minutes.
“It was impressive,” Asher admitted. “He didn’t get many touches in the first half after he gave it up so we challenged him and Booker at halftime to get the offense moving more side-to-side. Once they did that, the closeouts were tougher which led to our guys driving the hole.”
Beatrice started the fourth quarter strong, cutting the Husky lead to one with just over six to play. However, big-shot Parker Smith struck again for the Big Red, providing a four-point cushion.
A second three from Allen wiped away one of Beatrice’s threes as the Husky junior again took over on the offensive end.
The Allen three sparked a 9-0 individual run that spanned two minutes, handing Aurora a 51-44 lead.
The last of those included a steal and layup for Allen with 50 seconds left, all but sending the home fans out of the gym happy. 
Scrappy Orange
The first half featured a youthful, but scrappy Beatrice team that shot the ball well. Despite seven early points from Ryan Staehr, Beatrice led 13-11 after the first.
That lead for the Orangemen ballooned to 24-15 at one point midway through the second quarter as Aurora struggled to find rhythm offensively.
“They do the right things,” Asher explained. “They play off two feet and are patient. They’ve been that way since before the shot clock and thank goodness for the shot clock because they would have milked it until they get what they want.”
Scheierman tried to provide a spark for Aurora, bringing the home fans to its feet with a driving dunk, but the Huskies only scored twice more in the final three minutes to trail 26-21 at the break.
As a team, it was a solid shooting night at 47 percent with being over 52 percent on two-point shots. Aurora also made 7 of 17 threes in the game.
Allen’s 20 points came on 7 of 15 shooting with four rebounds and four assists. Scheierman added 12 points on 5 of 11 shooting with 10 boards for a double-double while adding a pair of blocks. Staehr also scored 12 points on 4 of 7 shooting.
As it turns out, Saturday’s win over Beatrice was the Huskies’ highest point production of the season through four games, the first time they’ve crossed the 50-point mark.
“Some of that is the kids learning the physicality of the high school game and how two points are as precious as knocking down a three here and there,” Asher said. “Threes are usually highly contested and the more you can make twos, the more three-point shots will open up.”

Aurora 45, Lakeview 37
Asher called this Lakeview team one of its best in recent memory and that played out on the floor Thursday night as the Huskies held on for a 45-37 road victory.
“I thought we were really good defensively because Lakeview was a lot like Beatrice with guys that can score,” Asher said. “Our discipline on defense is doing wonders right now by not allowing teams to get on big runs.”
The Huskies were on it early, leading 14-9 after the first before carrying a 22-18 lead to the half.
The Huskies held the lead throughout the second half as Aurora outscored Lakeview by just four down the stretch.
As a team, Aurora shot 37 percent from the field but was an impressive 56 percent on two-point shots. Twenty of Aurora’s points came inside the paint. 
Allen again paced the Huskies with 19 points on nine of 15 shooting with nine rebounds, six of those offensive. Staehr added 11 points while Scheierman totaled 10 points and eight rebounds.
It’s rivalry weekend for Aurora just before the holiday break as the Huskies travel to York Friday before hosting Northwest Saturday afternoon.
For a team that’s two points away from an unbeaten 4-0 start, Asher likes where the team stacks up right now. That’s especially true defensively, holding opponents to an average of 41 points so far. 
“The big thing I like about this group is going to practice,” he said. “They know what we need to get better and they want to get better. Their poise and toughness defensively is carrying us so far.”

Aurora:    11     10      16      15      --   52
Beatrice:  13     13        7      11      --   44
AURORA: Allen, 20; Scheierman, 12; Staehr, 12; Smith, 4; Handrup, 3; Prins, 1.

Aurora:     14    8         14     9      --   45
Lakeview: 9      9        12      7      --   37
AURORA: Allen, 19; Staehr, 11; Scheierman, 10; Slagle, 3; Prins, 2.