Boys basketball: Lockport sophomore Bryce Turner makes key play in win over Oswego

LOCKPORT – With the Lockport boys basketball team down a couple of players because of injury, Bryce Turner was brought up from the sophomore team to fill in some key minutes.

It turned out Turner made one of the game’s biggest plays in a 68-54 win over Oswego on Wednesday.

With about five minutes left in the game, Oswego shot a 3-pointer that could have cut the lead to three. But it rimmed out and Turner, a 5-foot-8 sophomore guard, had the presence of mind to fire a long pass downcourt to a streaking Jalen Falcon. Catching up to the ball, Falcon converted it into a layup and was fouled on the play. He finished the three-point play with 4:53 to play.

Then Falcon, a junior guard who had a game-high 23 points and eight rebounds, added a free throw to put the Porters ahead by 10 with 4:11 remaining. They maintained that double-digit lead the rest of the way.

“We had two guys [seniors Carter Peetz and Travale Williams] out with injuries,” Lockport coach Brett Hespell said. “So we brought Bryce up. He’s a competitor, and he was ready as he had helped lead our sophomore team to an undefeated (8-0) record.

“I wasn’t surprised [on the long pass to Falcon]. He’s a true point guard, and he has that vision, that presence to do that. It was a big play.”

Turner, who finished with five points and a pair of rebounds, had practiced with the varsity, but this was his first game at the top level.

“I just grabbed [the rebound] and saw Jalen,” Turner said of the long outlet pass. “He’s fast, and I knew if I got it out in front of him that he’d finish it.

“I was kind of nervous for my first game on the varsity, but I came out and gave it my all. I knew I had to step up, and it was a good team effort.”

The three-point play by Falcon, who scored 24 points earlier this season in a 49-41 win over Bradley-Bourbonnais, gave Lockport (6-3) a 56-47 lead.

“When Bryce got that rebound, I knew what he’d do,” Falcon said. “We already have that chemistry in practice, and I knew he’d give it to me.

“This is a huge win. We had come off a [two-game] losing streak, and we say that no matter what, we can’t lose at home.”

The Panthers (2-8) cut the lead to 10 one last time at 61-51 on a rebound basket by senior guard Josh Nelson (11 points) with 2:34 to play. But Lockport scored the next seven points to end all doubt. The 14-point margin matches the largest defeat of the season for Oswego, which has three losses by six points or fewer.

It was the fifth straight loss for the Wolves, who may have lost more than the game. Junior guard Bryce Woods (5 points) made a steal and was fouled in the opening minute of the third quarter. The junior guard twisted his left ankle on the play and didn’t return. He was taken for X-rays after the game.

Max Niesman led Oswego with 18 points and added five rebounds. Fellow senior guard Armani Hunter scored six points for the Wolves.

Senior guard Evan Dziadkowiec scored 16 points, junior guard Adam Labuda had 13 points and senior forward Hyatt Timosciek added six points and four rebounds for the Porters.

The game started at a frantic pace as the teams combined for 37 points and 15 turnovers in the opening quarter. There were five ties and eight lead changes, the last of which was when Falcon hit two free throws with 6.8 seconds left to give Lockport a 19-18 lead after one quarter.

A 3-pointer by Niesman tied the game for the last time at 21-21 just over a minute into the third quarter. Then a driving layup by Labuda gave the Porters the lead for good. They led 38-29 at halftime. Oswego never got closer than six points the rest of the game. It was 49-38 after three.

“I thought after the first quarter we got under control with our defense,” said Hespell, who saw his team force 19 turnovers in the game. “After losing two games last week, we needed to play better. We knew if we did, it should turn into a win, and that’s what we did.”