Boys basketball: Austin Marks sparks Sandwich’s 4th-quarter comeback at Sycamore

SYCAMORE – Burke Gautcher drained a 3-pointer two minutes into the fourth quarter to give Sycamore a nine-point lead, its biggest of the game.

It was the last field goal the Spartans would make, as Sandwich turned up the defensive pressure and scored 22 of the game’s last 25 points in a 52-42 Interstate 8 Conference win Tuesday.

“It was disappointing to fall apart the way we did at the end,” Sycamore coach Ethan Franklin said. “We felt like our guys were more so playing not to lose than to win. We had a little bit of a lead with some pressure going against us. They did a great job of continuing to push it out and extend it, and our guys just played right into their hands.”

Specifically, the ball ended up in the hands of Sandwich’s Austin Marks more often than not. He had four steals in the fourth quarter alone after his eight points in the third quarter kept the Indians (13-10, 6-3 I-8) close.

The Spartans (8-13, 3-6) led 39-30 after Gautcher’s 3-pointer. Sandwich missed its first seven 3-point attempts, including two air balls by Dom Rome. But Rome connected on one with 2:41 left, pulling the Indians within 40-39.

“He didn’t hit the rim on two 3s, then he bangs one from the wing,” Sandwich coach Kevin Kozan said. “When you play that way, you don’t worry about making mistakes. It’s good basketball.”

Chance Lange completed the comeback with a 3-pointer with 1:44 left, putting the Spartans down 42-40.

“It brings our momentum way up. It’s nice to have them,” Marks said. “But I think most of our momentum comes on the defensive end.”

Marks finished with 15 points, five rebounds and five steals. Lange had 11 and Rome had 12 for the Indians.

The Indians didn’t make another field goal after Lange’s 3 but went 10 for 12 from the free-throw line in the final 1:33 to ice the win, while Sycamore couldn’t get its offense going.

“Down nine, it didn’t feel like that because they only had 39 points,” Kozan said. “We just needed one to fall. Then we started getting downhill, to the free-throw line, Chance hit a big one, Dom hit a big one.”

After seven turnovers in the first three quarters, Sycamore turned it over eight times in the fourth. That led to 10 points for the Indians, who outscored the Spartans 22-6 in the final eight minutes.

“We just have to get down and guard. That’s all there is to it,” Marks said. “We get the steals, we have to turn them into buckets.”

Sycamore took its first lead of the game at 8-7 on a layup by Teague Hallahan with 3:55 left in the first half. The lead grew to seven in the second quarter and eight in the third, but Marks’ hot streak kept the lead from growing any bigger.

Carter York scored 12 to lead the Spartans, and Aidan Wyzard added 10.

“I think experience is going to continue to help us for our young team down the line,” Franklin said. “But they’ve just got to be a little more composed in those situations.”

The Indians were playing without leading scorer Evan Gottlieb, who was on the bench in street clothes. Kozan said he’s hopeful the senior is back Friday.

“It feels good to get the win without him even though we want him back. We want him healthy,” Kozan said. “He’s our leader. It’s nice to see other guys step up.”