With the scored tied with just under five minutes to play in Friday’s Interstate 8 Conference game, Sycamore senior Grace Amptmann swished a 3-pointer from the corner over an Ottawa defender.

Her shot started a quick-hit, game-changing 13-0 run by Spartans over the next two minutes and eventually a 57-45 victory over the Pirates at Kingman Gymnasium.

Sycamore (11-8, 3-1) trailed 8-7 after one quarter and 28-21 at halftime.

“A lot of times, and tonight was one of those, we were already talking at halftime in the locker room about what things we needed to do better as a team before the coaches came in,” said Amptmann, who scored nine of her 14 points in the second half, including two of her three 3-pointers, and four rebounds. “We were all on the same page.

“We made adjustments on defense, but I also think we just started to have confidence in our shots in the second half. It just started to feel like every shot we took was going to go in. I felt like everyone stepped up when they needed to.”

The Spartans, which shot 23% in the first half and 48% in the second, were led by sophomore Sadie Lang’s 17-point, 14-rebound, three-steal double-double, while junior Quinn Carrier added 12 points, four rebounds and four assists.

In the fourth-quarter burst, Carrier and Callie Countryman each had a pair of layups while Lang scored off a steal.

“We talked about how Ottawa thrives off of getting into the paint off the dribble and then working inside out. In the first half we gave up way too many straight-line drives and they were either getting uncontested layups or kicking out for open perimeter shots,” Sycamore coach Adam Wickness said. “Add to that we missed a bunch of shots that we typically make, and we were in a bit of a hole.

“We made the adjustment, better hedging on screens, in the second half and did a better overall job defensively. On the offensive end the shots just started falling. We also created a little offense from our defense and transition.”

Ottawa (9-6, 1-3) used a 10-0 run – five points from senior Mary Stisser and four by junior Ashlynn Ganiere – midway in the second quarter to hold a 24-15 lead two minutes before halftime.

Sycamore outscored the Pirates 15-5 in the third, with Lang netting seven points, to lead 36-33 heading to the fourth.

The Pirates, which shot 48% in the opening half, but just 24% in the second, held a 41-35 advantage in rebounds but lost the turnover battle 18-7.

Ottawa was led by 17 points and nine rebounds by Stisser, while Ganiere (eight rebounds, three assists), Hailey Thrush (seven rebounds, three assists) and Kennedy Kane each scored eight points. Libby Muffler also had eight rebounds for the hosts.

“We’ve been battling all season long to find a way to overcome adversity when other teams get on a bit of a run finding a way to get it stopped,” Ottawa coach Brent Moore said. “When you are playing against good teams like Sycamore they are going to have runs, it comes down to how long do they last. We just couldn’t find a way to do that in that two-minute span in the fourth quarter tonight.

“That said, I’m extremely proud of our girls and we really grew as a team tonight. They played hard, they stuck to the game plan and they played for each other. It was just those two minutes where we got out of our element, lacked mental toughness and Sycamore took advantage.”

Both squads return to the floor on Tuesday in I-8 contest as Ottawa is at Rochelle, while Sycamore hosts Morris.