The Genoa-Sycamore was leading the wire-to-wire at Genoa-Kingston on Wednesday, but it was a major third quarter that won the 68–45 non-45 non-winning of Spartons against COGS.
Sycamore (12–17) and 6-foot-5 forward Ben Larry discovered ways to go inside against the area of Genoa-Kingston (10-20), excluding the COGS in the third 22–9. Larry had 11 of the points, including a sting on a street-up from Jacob Shiple.
“We just started passing the ball more, move it fast as it is a 2-3 area,” Larry said. “We found the way to move the ball, looked down in the middle and we got points.”
The slam came in the middle of 13–0 runs to shut down the quarter. Kogs received a larger cucumber lead as 16 in the second quarter, below 30–23 after John Krugar’s trimmed. But to respond back with a lary-leam, Spartons took 10 seconds, scoring 7–0 runs.
The GK rushed the next five within 39–28, including a 3-pointer from Hayden Hodgson, but a 3-pointer by Preston Picoloti started a decisive run.
Genoa-Kingston coach Griffin Mackel said that his team was slightly flatter in the area more than normal.
Mackel said, “They got some easy shots, then there were many easy touch.” “We are playing the zone, but we cannot touch five feet away from the basket. [Larry is] A good player. The basket holds a 5 feet ball, he is going to do some harm. ,
Larry led all the scorers with 17 points and had a game-hai seven rebounds. Shipli added 10 points, five rebounds and three theft for Spartons.
The victory was against GK for the second -year Cyamore coach Ethan Franklin, who was the head coach of Kogs before taking a Seomore job. The Cogs won in Sycamore last year, and this year Franklin’s first time was in favor of a visitor in Jenoa.
“It was strange,” Franklin said. “I have come back to some volleyball games to support all the people I in class and friends in school. It is good to come out with a win. We did not go to Cicamore last year, so I was able to come back and get it here. And was able to get it here. And being able to see family and friends was really good here and I was really good here.”
Spartons end the regular season against Caneland on Friday. The knights won the first meeting between the teams this season in January 68-43.
Franklin said it is an up-down season for Spartons, and if they play as they do against Cogs, they can give better results against the knights and in Postsen. They face Woodstock North on 21 February, Class 3A Belvidere North Regional Semifinal.
Franklin said, “This is difficult with us because sometimes we find parts where we look really good here, and in other sports we have put it together,” Franklin said. “Then we have other times where we find these rots and these lullaies. It is my job to find ways to fix it. Ultimately we have to be more consistent. If we have the same effort that we had in that third quarter … then we are going to be a very difficult team to defeat the regional people.”
Cogs moved with a separate early lineup on Senior Night, rolling with five seniors that usually do not start. Each of them – Dakota Dyak, Rider Eastbrooks, Landen Richie, Connor Lehe and Tarell Marshall – finished scoring in the game.
Hayden Hodgson led the Cogs with 11 points and seven rebounds, with the dynaks six.
This was the last game of Kogs of regular season. He will play Postsen at home on Monday against Margego, with the winner of Johnsburg on Wednesday. Cogs have not won a game in Genoa this season.
McNell said, “We have won some neutral site games and some distance games, decent there.” “But we want to win our first domestic game. So I mean, it will be a good time to do it.”