LaSalle Takes Down Sycamore in Second Game of Holiday Hardwood Classic
CINCINNATI, OH — Game 2 of Saturday’s 4th Annual Beacon Holiday Hardwood Classic action saw a defensive battle between powerhouses Sycamore and La Salle, with the latter emerging victorious in a tight 35-33 contest.
The first quarter saw little action on the scoreboard, as Sycamore controlled much of the possession with quick passes and few shots. The highlight of the frame came with 0:31 remaining when La Salle’s 6’8” forward Shamari Scales executed a three-point play to give the Lancers the lead at 5-3. The teams entered the second quarter tied at five.
After an early two-pointer by the Aviators, La Salle went on a 4-0 scoring run with 3:58 left in the half to take a 9-7 lead. The rest of the second quarter was a low-scoring affair, but a Sycamore foul sent Scales to the free-throw line with no time left, where he made both shots to give the Lancers a slim 11-9 advantage heading into the locker room.
Both offenses awakened in the third quarter, but neither team could gain significant momentum in a back-and-forth frame. The quarter saw Sycamore score three times from beyond the arc, including a Michael Johnson buzzer-beater to put the Aviators ahead 24-23 entering the fourth quarter. Meanwhile, La Salle got to the free-throw line often but couldn’t capitalize, making six of its 12 attempts.
Sycamore assembled a 5-0 scoring run two minutes into the fourth quarter, thanks to a Kyle Cicak jumper and Zay Hill three to extend the lead to six at 29-23. La Salle, however, came roaring back, as Jack McLaughlin hit a three-pointer to tie the game at 30 with 2:13 remaining, and a Quin Higgins jumper gave the Lancers a 32-30 advantage with just over a minute to go in the game.
With 33 seconds left, a Johnson foul sent Scales to the free-throw line, where he tacked on two more to bring the lead to four at 34-30. Another bucket from beyond the arc by Zay Hill in the closing seconds kept hope alive for the Aviators, and with just 3.4 seconds on the clock, Sycamore got the ball back trailing 35-33. Michael Johnson’s three-point attempt fell just short as the Lancers clung to a 35-33 victory to keep their undefeated season alive.
18 of Sycamore’s 33 points came from freshman Zay Hill. He made five three-pointers.
Free throw shooting was a key part of La Salle’s success and the Achilles heel for Sycamore. The Lancers made 14 free throws in 21 attempts during the game, led by Scales; the Aviators got to the line just four times and made only one. In a tight contest that allowed little room for error, points from the line had a giant impact.
Looking ahead, La Salle (7-0, 0-0 GCL South) will match up with Turpin on Tuesday, December 30 to keep the winning streak alive. Meanwhile, Sycamore (3-5, 1-4 GMC) has now lost four of its last five games, but will have some time off as it looks to rebound. The Aviators will host Little Miami in their next game on Tuesday, January 6.
