Kaneland tips Sycamore in OT

The Kaneland boys basketball team survived a challenge from Sycamore in the toughest of the teams' three contests of the season, winning in overtime 49-45 to advance to the Class 3A Sycamore regional final.

Sophomore guard Troyer Carlson scored six points in the overtime period, including the go-ahead 3-pointer that forced the final lead change of the contest. Carlson finished with 12 points, matching sophomore forward Parker Violett in the team-high for scoring.

"They're two sophomores with a ton of talent," Kaneland coach Ernie Colombe said. "This was their first playoff game and we thought they performed pretty well. They've got bright futures and we rely on them a lot."

Violett engaged in a back and forth battle with Spartans senior guard Brody Armstrong in the fourth quarter. Trailing by two at the end of the third, Armstrong scored eight points and helped propel Sycamore to a four-point lead with 2:45 left. Armstrong finished with a game-high 16 points.

Violett scored five straight for the Knights but missed a potential game-winner with 1.1 seconds left in regulation. In overtime, Violett added two free throws to finish the game 8-for-12 from the line.

"The free throws basically won the game for us," Violett said. "It was tough, but we just played harder. We were decent on offense, but we just had to put our defense on them and played help defense."

Kaneland previously beat Sycamore on the road 46-28 on Jan. 7. Trading baskets all throughout the contest just a few weeks later, it was the Knights composure that ended up being the difference.

"Our guys kept battling and I'm proud of them for that," Colombe said. "It's tough to play a conference team and beat them three times, especially when they're your rivals. They're a well-coached team and the kids played really hard out there. Down the stretch, we just tried to keep composed and stuck to our game plan."

After finishing the first quarter tied, missed free throws by the Spartans tilted the score to 18-17 at halftime in Kaneland's favor.

The Knights were strong to start the second half, but Sycamore senior guard Tyler York rallied his team with nine straight points from beyond the arc. The difference at the end of the third was a pair of free throws by Kaneland senior forward Micah Pryor, making it 30-28.

York and Carlson traded threes early in the fourth before Armstrong and Violett each went on long runs. In the end, a free throw by Kaneland senior guard Nick Mitchinson forced overtime tied at 41-41.

Carlson got the Knights the opening basket of the extra period, but Armstrong rallied off four free throws to tie the game at 45-45. Carlson made a three-pointer and then put the game out of reach with a free throw with 12.4 seconds remaining.

Kaneland will be back at Sycamore at 7 p.m. Friday to face the top-seeded Burlington Central in the Class 3A Sycamore Regional final.