Waubonsie Valley senior forward Lily Newton has a knack for doing something hardly anyone enjoys and few even attempt.

You might even call it her version of Newton’s law.

She takes charges. Lots of them.

“She’s one of the leaders in the nation in taking charges,” Waubonsie Valley coach Brett Love said. “That’s something that she takes pride in.

“She’s a high-IQ player. Her reads are very elite, and she does a great job of getting in position.”

Newton has drawn 22 charges this season and ranks 15th in the country, according to MaxPreps. No other Waubonsie Valley player has more than three.

Newton took three charges, all from different players, during the Warriors’ 78-56 DuPage Valley Conference win over visiting Naperville North in Aurora on Thursday night. It was probably the most impressive — if underrated — part of a performance on senior night that also included Newton’s 19 points, nine rebounds and two assists.

Junior guard Danyella Mporokoso led Waubonsie Valley (25-1, 9-0) with 22 points. Sophomore guard Maya Pereda had 13 points, seven rebounds and three assists, and junior guard Arie Garcia-Evans had 12 points, seven rebounds, six steals and three assists. For Naperville North (14-14, 5-4), junior guard Natalie Frempong had another huge performance with a game-high 28 points.

But many of the cheers were for Newton, one of only three seniors on the Warriors’ roster.

“I’m so happy that she got to shine on this night,” Mporokoso said. “She totally deserves it. She just brings so much IQ and leadership to the team. She’s like the most amazing person.”

The most amazing aspect of Newton’s play is her willingness to get run over.

“She gets to her spot early,” Mporokoso said. “She goes for a charge and gets one almost every game because she really puts her body on the line for our team.”

After hitting four 3-pointers to give the Warriors the early lead, Newton took one charge in the second quarter and two more in the third quarter. On each occasion, the Huskies were within 10 points, and the Warriors scored on their ensuing possession.

“She’s done that a couple times this year,” Love said. “That’s big for us. It’s a possession that we get, and it makes a huge difference. I love the way she hustles.”

Defense has always been Newton’s forte and passion on the court.

“I got to a certain age, and my dad was like, ‘This is what a charge is, if you’re always in the right place to help,’” Newton said. “I think that after you take the first one that works well, it’s like a shift.

“The adrenaline gets going, and once you take them, you can’t even tell it hurts anymore, in my opinion. Once you get over the fear of taking them, it gets easier.”

Basketball has become progressively easier for Newton over the years. As her role has expanded, so has her success.

Newton is averaging 11.6 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.9 steals with an assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.76. The graduation of Hannah Laub, who is a freshman at Army, has required Newton to increase her scoring and rebounding.

“She’s so much more of a scorer,” Mporokoso said. “She’s way more aggressive.

“She steps up when we need it and hits shots when we need it. Not only that, she always gets other people open by setting screens. When we need a bucket, she’s always there.”

Newton felt an urgency to score on Thursday. The Warriors eked out a 52-48 victory in the first meeting against Naperville North on Jan. 9, and this game was close for three quarters.

Newton, an honors student and Wisconsin-Whitewater commit, made 7 of 15 shots and had five offensive rebounds as the Warriors outrebounded the Huskies 41-20, including 19-3 on the offensive end.

“I feel like I’ve been in a bit of a scoring slump lately, so I had to have the right mindset coming into tonight,” Newton said. “I typically play better against better teams, so considering we almost lost to them last time, I was like … something needed to change.

“I’m glad it was tonight. It was a lot of fun.”

And not only for Newton.

“I love playing with her,” Mporokoso said. “It’s so special.”

Matt Le Cren is a freelance reporter.