Gagnepain scores 33 for Sycamore, by Rock Falls prevails in opener

Luke Akerman and Chase Chappell combined for 39 points for Rock Falls against Sycamore on Friday, helping negate the 33 put up by Xavier Gagnepain in the Rockets’ 58-52 season-opening win against the Spartans.

The Rockets led by 11 early, but the Spartans took a 32-31 lead early in the third quarter. It was their last lead of the game, and after the game was tied at 38 on a 3-pointer by Gagnepain, the Rockets went on an 8-1 run to take command.

“Defensively we weren’t able to string enough stops in a row,” Sycamore coach Andrew Stacy said after the first game for either team in almost a year. “We dug ourselves a hole, I think we were down 9, tied it a few times in the second half, just couldn’t get over the hump.”

Sycamore trailed 48-46 in the fourth quarter and forced three straight turnovers by the Rockets by switching to a press.

“Basketball is a game of runs, and we need to limit those runs,” Rock Falls coach Zach Sandrock said. “We limited their run and worked hard on the defensive end.”

Chappell ended the run with a steal and a layup of his own, pushing the lead to four with 2:32 left. He finished with 17 points, while Akerman poured in 22.

“That happens sometimes obviously,” Stacy said. “You’re trying to force turnovers in the press and a lot of times it’s to get them out of their rhythm, too. We just weren’t able to capitalize when we did get turnovers.”

Gagnepain started his junior year with 33 points, seven rebounds, and an emphatic block in the first quarter.

“He was pretty efficient,” Stacy said. “He got to the free-throw line, probably could have shot better from the free-throw line. Can’t fault him on that. I thought he did a really good job inside, crashing the boards, and it’s what we’ve gotten used to seeing. He’s a very talented player.”

The Spartans got to within 51-50 with 40.1 seconds left, but Chappell answered with a pair of free throws and Sycamore never got closer than three again.

“Luke got the basket really well and Chase found some space and made the right decision to pass the ball when he needed or take the open shot when it was there,” Sandrock said. " We got deep, penetrated when we needed, kicked out when we needed and got the high percentage shots we preach.”

By the numbers: After the explosions by Chappell, Akerman and Gagnepain, the next highest scorer was Sycamore’s Brody Armstrong with nine. Brayden Mulnix scored six for the Rockets.

Beyond the stats: Hunter Alexander was called for an intentional foul after a long inbounds pass downcourt with 14.5 seconds left, turning a 53-50 game into an eventual 58-50 lead in the closing seconds.

They said it: “I’m not going to criticize it. The referees have a tough job,” Stacy said of the foul. “To me it looked like he kind of ran into him. But I was 50 feet away, 60 feet away. He had a better angle. That’s not why we lost. At that point you’re just trying to get a steal, get a stop. They were up four or five at the point so it wasn’t a determining factor.”

Up next: The Spartans face Genoa-Kingston on Saturday.

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