Boys basketball: Lucas Winburn scores 21 to lead Sycamore over Woodstock

SYCAMORE – For three quarters, Lucas Winburn pretty much handled the scoring for the Sycamore boys basketball team against Woodstock on Tuesday.

But in one key stretch in the fourth quarter for the Spartans, Aidan Wyzard had three steals on consecutive possessions and converted them into points in a 50-44 nonconference win over the Blue Streaks.

“He’s so athletic and get can get in those passing lanes and steal, and he’s great in transition,” Winburn said. “That helped us a lot.”

Wyzard hadn’t scored heading into the fourth with the game tied at 32 after three quarters. But on three straight possessions, Wyzard jumped a pass, raced out ahead of the Blue Steaks (2-4) and completed a layup.

On the first two layups he was fouled and sank the free throw. After only 1:18 of the fourth quarter, the Spartans (3-3) led 40-32.

“He’s been outstanding,” first-year Sycamore coach Ethan Franklin said. “We’ve been trying to find a way for him to get comfortable with everything as a sophomore getting some action on varsity. And he did what his strengths were: getting out and being athletic and finishing at the basket. He put us on a big stretch in the fourth quarter there to put the game away.”

The Blue Streaks got the lead down to 47-44 with less than a minute to go, but Wyzard made a free throw to push the lead back to two possessions, then Teague Hallahan got a steal on the inbounds pass, which led to another free throw for Wyzard for a five-point lead.

Wyzard finished with 13 for the Spartans to go with five rebounds and four steals coming off the bench.

Woodstock coach Ryan Starnes said he’s proud of the way his team bounced back in the second half. Aside from falling down 3-2, Sycamore led the entirety of the first half and took a 26-17 lead into halftime.

“We played really well in stretches, I thought,” Starnes said. “I challenged them a little bit at halftime. I didn’t think we fought as hard as we are capable of fighting. I was really proud of the way we responded to start the third quarter, got back into it, even took the lead in the third quarter. I was proud of that.”

Starnes said that stretch to start the fourth quarter was just Woodstock trying to play too fast.

“Sometimes things are going too fast in our heads,” Starnes said. “If I had a dollar for every time I said slow down this year, I’d probably be a wealthy man. Things going a little too fast, and we need to slow down and read the actions.”

That first half was keyed by Winburn for the Spartans. He scored 15 of his 21 points in the first half.

Most of his damage was at the rim, going up against 6-foot-6 junior Spencer Cullum. He was 9 of 12 from the floor and 1 of 2 on 3-pointers.

Franklin said it’s been an outstanding year for the 6-5 senior.

“He takes a lot of pride in his ability to play inside out,” Franklin said. “Obviously, we want to get him downhill and get some looks at the rim. But if you sag off he has the ability to hit one. He got a big one for us tonight.”

Cullum led the Blue Streaks with 15 points, including four 3-pointers, and Aidan Sivore added 14 points, including four 3-pointers. Keaton Perkins had six rebounds for Woodstock.

“He’s had a really a good year, and he’s a good player,” Starnes said of Cullum. “I think as good as he is, he’s still got more in him. I’m trying to pull it out of him and challenge him a little bit, especially on the defensive side.”

Hallahan finished with 15 points and a game-best seven rebounds. Wyzard finished with 13 points, all in the fourth. Sycamore was 2 for 10 on 3-pointers, while Woodstock was 11 of 26.