Sycamore’s Gagnepain causes Morris boys grief in season finale

Spartan junior scores 14 of his 18 points in second half

MORRIS – The effects of the heavy workload that the Morris boys basketball team has faced in the past week were evident in the season finale against Interstate 8 Conference rival Sycamore.

Playing in their third game in three nights, mixed with most of the players also taking part in football practice as well as going to school for a full day for the first time in nearly a year, the Redskins (4-7, 4-6) seemed a bit out of sorts and tired Friday night.

Even so, it was the effects of Sycamore’s Xavier Gagnepain that doomed Morris in the second half after the Redskins trailed just 18-13 at halftime. Gagnepain scored 14 of his game-high 18 points in the second half, including 10 in the third quarter, as Sycamore (8-7, 7-6) pulled away after halftime for a 51-37 victory.

“We played pretty well tonight,” Sycamore coach Andrew Stacey said. “They put a smaller guy on Xavier in the second half and he was able to use his size to get some baskets. That opened things up for us outside, and we were able to knock down a few 3s.

“Defensively, this was one of our better games. We knew that No. 11 [Myles Johnston] had been playing well, and we know from experience what No. 22 [Colin Cummings] can do. This was a good team win, and we have one more chance to go out and compete.”

Sycamore led 13-8 at the end of the first quarter, and both teams managed only five points in the second.

Then, Gagnepain took over, scoring four baskets and a pair of free throws in the third quarter to help the Spartans build a 37-21 lead going into the fourth. Sycamore also got 3-pointers from Ben Hermann, Tyler York and Samuel Etienne in the third.

The closest Morris got in the fourth quarter was when Cummings, who led the Redskins with 12 points, hit a 3-pointer to make it 42-27. The Redskins trailed 51-32 with 1:30 to play before Sam Williams hit a 3-pointer and team manager Justin Matthews came off the bench to make a putback off his own missed 3-pointer that brought a huge cheer from the student section of about 25 who were allowed to attend.

Besides Gagnepain’s 18 points, Sycamore got seven points from Etienne and six apiece from Brody Armstrong, Hermann, Bailey Wiegmann and York. For Morris, Johnston added 10 points and Nathan Jepson had seven.

“We didn’t shoot very well or rebound well,” Morris coach Joe Blumberg said. “And we didn’t defend the arc very well or No. 11 inside. I felt like the guys found a way to fill their tanks for the first 10 games of the year, but we just ran out of gas tonight.”

Blumberg also had nothing but high praise for seniors Jepson, Cummings, Parker Skubic, Cody Bledsoe, Williams, Patrick McPherson and Matthews.

“Nothing against our juniors, but the focus tonight was on the guys who took off a Morris uniform for the last time tonight. We felt we had a lot of potential with this group, but due to circumstances outside of their control, we never got a chance to see the full potential,” Blumberg said.

“Most of these guys are going to be lucky enough to wake up tomorrow and put on a different Morris uniform. That’s what our athletic program is all about. You hang up one uniform, put on another one and have another chance to compete. We had five four-year players play their last game tonight, and having that many stay around for four years is critical to the health of the program. These guys will be missed.”

Sophomores

Sycamore 36, Morris 29: Morris (5-7, 5-6) saw two starters leave the game due to injury in the first few minutes of the game. Sycamore capitalized and kept Morris at bay the rest of the game.

Gage Phillips led the Redskins with 12 points, while A.J. Zweeres added nine.

“I’d like to extend much respect to the boys this year for their commitment, flexibility and intensity,” Morris coach Ray Burgess said. “I look forward to their future development.”

Rob Oesterle

Rob Oesterle

Rob has been a sports writer for the Morris Herald-News and Joliet Herald-News for more than 20 years.