Boys Basketball: Ferocious Foxes Steamroll Spartans

The Hot Read: Yorkville may have had an unreasonably weak start against the the Sycamore Spartans, who’s record is 4-18, but that didn’t stop the Foxes from tearing apart their scrawny opponent. After a 9-7 deficit in the first quarter, the Foxes came back with a 13-6 run to give them a 20-15 lead at halftime. Using their height and defensive dominance, Yorkville continued their aggressive play in the third quarter to rack up 24 more points, while holding Sycamore to seven.

Patch’s MVP: Yorkville’s Josh Williams (nine points, two rebounds, one steal). The 6-foot-6-inch Williams’s dominance under the basket gave Sycamore little chance inside. His five points at the beginning of the third quarter allowed Yorkville to quickly distance itself from Sycamore.

Key stats: In losing their lead to the Foxes in the second quarter, the Spartans lost their composure and racked up 11 fouls to the Foxes’ four fouls in the first half. Nine of the Foxes’ 20 points at halftime were from the free-throw line, along with nine more the second half.

Meanwhile, Yorkville gave the Spartans only four shots and two points from the free-throw line until the last three minutes, when the Spartans were able to make six of six foul shots.

Yorkville leaders: Josh Williams (nine points, two rebounds, one steal), Derek Piszczek (nine points), Ryan Herron (six points, five rebounds, one steal).

Sycamore leaders: Brendan Biffany (eight points), John Copple (six points), Tom Paulson (six points).

Quoteable: “Second half we just came out with more energy and were ready to play,” Yorkville coach Jerry Farber said. “I don’t know why we weren’t at the start, but we weren’t.”

Team records: Yorkville, 13-9, 5-3 in the Northern Illinois Big 12 East Division. Sycamore, 4-18, 0-8 in same conference and division.

What’s next: Yorkville has a non-conference home game Saturday at 6 p.m. against Minooka. Sycamore has a non-conference home game Saturday at 6 p.m. against Marmion Academy.