Girls basketball: Lexi Carlsen, Sycamore hold off 2nd-half Morris run

SYCAMORE – With Morris surging back to within six after Sycamore built a 16-point lead in the early third quarter, Lexi Carlsen took over.

The senior guard had two steals that led to layups during a pivotal run for the Spartans, kicked off another possession with a rebound and an assist and helped Sycamore to a 57-40 win Tuesday night in an Interstate 8 Conference contest.

“Players make plays,” Sycamore coach Adam Wickness said of Carlsen’s 10 points, nine assists, six rebounds and four steals. “She’s been doing it now for 3 1/2 years, and it’s fun to watch. She’s got that mentality where she can kind of take over a game.”

Morris (16-8, 3-5 I-8) scored the first bucket of the contest, but it was its only lead after Sophia Klacik answered with a 3-pointer 90 seconds into the game to kick off a 16-4 run.

Landrie Callahan hit a layup at the third-quarter buzzer as Morris headed into the fourth down 39-33 after closing the quarter on a 13-5 run. All the points in that stretch were scored by either Landrie Callahan or Layken Callahan, who combined for 31 points in the loss.

Klacik started the fourth with a 3-pointer as the Spartans scored the first 12 points. After a layup by Quinn Carrier, Carlsen got a quick rebound and fed it up to Monroe McGhee, who laid it in. Carlsen turned around with a steal and a bucket, and after Klacik knocked down a free throw, Carlsen got another layup off her own steal.

“We told the team when you turn the ball over, they are going to score off of those,” Morris coach Nick Virgl said. “But I thought the Callahan sisters had awesome games. ... They kept us in it. We just ran out gas in that fourth quarter.”

Sycamore won the first meeting between the teams last month 44-40 in Morris. Wickness said the Callahans and Lily Hansen combined to score 36 of Morris’ 40 points. Hansen was scoreless Tuesday, as Landrie Callahan scored 17 and Layken Callahan scored 14. Each sister also tied for the Morris lead with six rebounds.

Carlsen called the trio a three-headed monster and said Sycamore did a good job of limiting their damage in the Spartans’ first home game since Jan. 6.

“I thought we really focused and locked down on defense, which was good to see,” Carlsen said. “It helps that we’re finally home after a while. You can tell our energy changes when we’re at home. It was good to see us come out with a good start.”

Carrier led the Spartans with 14 points and added four rebounds, two steals and two assists. Klacik finished with nine points, and McGhee had 11 points, five steals, three rebounds and three assists.

Even as Morris stormed back, Wickness said he liked his team’s composure.

“I don’t think there was much panic,” Wickness said. “We were pretty confident with how we were playing, so we knew we just had to lock in and get a couple stops when we needed to. We did that, and those stops led to easy looks for us.”