Boys basketball: Ottawa defense shuts down Sycamore again for Hall of Fame Night victory

OTTAWA – Be it a bad matchup, superb defense or just a couple bad nights shooting the basketball, the Sycamore Spartans have to be happy they’re not scheduled to go up against the Ottawa Pirates again this season.

Forty-two days after being held to 29 points on 26.3% shooting in a three-point loss on their home floor to Ottawa, the Spartans managed just 34 points on 27.5% shooting in Friday’s Interstate 8 Conference rematch with the Pirates in a 50-34 Ottawa victory on Hall of Fame Night at Kingman Gym.

Ottawa’s Cooper Knoll led all players with a 25-point, 12-rebound double-double as coach Mark Cooper’s Pirates improved to 8-8 overall, 3-3 in the I-8 Conference.

“We’ve just been focusing on gap defense and getting out in transition offense,” said the 6-6 Knoll, who was 11 of 18 from the field, including a pair of 3-pointers. “It’s pretty fun when I’m feeling it [with my shot]. Our offense is four-out, one-in, so it’s built with a big. The guards get me looks, and I do my best to knock ‘em down.”

Carter York caught fire in the second quarter, scoring eight of his team-high 13 points, during the only truly effective offensive stretch for the Spartans. Jake Shipley added six points and a team-leading five rebounds as Sycamore (9-11, 3-4) was 11 of 40 from the field, including 3 of 22 from 3-point range, with 14 turnovers.

“Coach Cooper does a great job,” Spartans coach Ethan Franklin said when asked about his team’s struggles this season scoring against the Pirates. “They’re executing really well in the half court defensively, and they do a good job sitting in the gaps, which makes it hard for us to create driving lanes. It kind of forces us to shoot a lot, and, you know, if we don’t have a good shooting night, that kind of puts us in a bad spot.

“Which it did both meetings with them this year. It’s unfortunate, but they did a great job and made it real tough for us.”

Unlike the last time the teams played - a low-scoring affair that was 12-9 at halftime - this time the Pirates put up points early and comparatively often. The hosts shot 46.5% and led 17-3 after one quarter and 42-27 through three with an attack led by Knoll’s double-double, eight points from Keevon Peterson, six points, 10 rebounds and three assists courtesy of Evan Snook and a two-point, five-assist effort from Huston Hart.

In a flip-flop of the schools’ meeting up Route 23 in Sycamore, the varsity boys followed the girls contest - a thrilling Ottawa upset of the conference-leading Spartans - and the honoring of Ottawa High School’s Hall of Fame Class of 2024. Recognized were the 1969 football team, 1996 girls tennis team, Mike Cooper, Susan Williamson, Holly Novak, Dan Eilts and legendary Pirates boys basketball coach Gary Vancil.

“I thought we had good energy tonight, especially early,” Mark Cooper said. “We jumped out to a lead, and we didn’t give up a bunch of easy baskets. Sometimes when we run into difficulties, we turn the ball over, miss a shot, get hurt in transition. But I thought tonight we took care of the ball offensively, were able to set our defense and consequently it was a good night for us. ...

“There’s certain nights that are very important in our program. Hall of Fame Night, honoring the inductees, Coach Vancil was back, boy-girl night, these are important nights that we show. We talked with our guys about that all week, and I thought our guys showed up with good energy and focus.”

Ottawa is scheduled back in action Monday at old NCIC rival Princeton.

Sycamore is scheduled to host Elgin on Saturday evening.

“There’s certain nights that are very important in our program. Hall of Fame Night, honoring the inductees, Coach Vancil was back, boy-girl night, these are important nights that we show. We talked with our guys about that all week, and I thought our guys showed up with good energy and focus.”

—  Mark Cooper, Ottawa boys basketball coach