Area Roundup: Anthony Cooper goes for 37 in Pirates’ road win at Plano

PLANO — It was another good game for Anthony Cooper and another great win for the Ottawa Pirates.

Ottawa’s boys traveled to Plano Wednesday night and brought home a dominating, 71-40 victory in Interstate Eight Conference play. The triumph lifts the Pirates to 11-1 overall and 9-1 on the I-8 loop heading into Friday night’s home showdown with archrival La Salle-Peru.

Anthony Cooper again had the hot hand for Ottawa, nearly matching Plano’s team point total himself with a 37-point effort — 21 of those points coming on seven made 3-pointers. Luke Cushing added a dozen points for the victorious Pirates.

Ottawa took control in the second quarter, turning a close 17-14 game at the start of the period into a 42-21 doubling-up by the halftime break.

Somonauk 60, Newark 52: At Somonauk, the Bobcats improved to 7-4 overall and 5-2 in the LTC with the triumph. Brock Zimmerman popped in a game-high 20 points to go along with nine rebounds for Somonauk, with Coleton Eade netting 11 points, and Parker Wesson and Brendan Roberts nine points apiece.

The Norsemen received 19 points from Austin Tollefson, nine from Grandon Mitchell, and seven from Jared Slivka.

Serena 56, DePue 38: At DePue, the Huskers led 14-7 after one quarter, 32-14 at halftime and 43-24 after three quarters. Ben Shugrue had 12 points, eight rebounds and three blocks for Serena, with Dylan Cartwright and Hudson Stafford adding 10 points each.

LaMoille 72, Leland 41: At LaMoille, the Panthers had a lead in the second quarter, but the Lions came back to earn the Little Ten win. Jimmy Faltz led Leland with 14 points, with Myths Pinnel adding 12, Fernando Silva seven and Porter Thrall four.

Indian Creek 79, Earlville 40: At Shabbona, the Red Raiders fell on the road to the Timberwolves to fall to 3-5 overall and 3-4 in the LTC. Bryar Keller led Earlville with eight points.

Girls basketball

Morris 27, Sandwich 26: At Morris, the visiting Lady Indians lost the first of back-to-back games against Morris despite a team-high 13 points from Claire Roberts. Sandwich is now 8-3 (6-3 Interstate Eight).

Serena 59, Indian Creek 52: At Serena, the host Lady Huskers improved to 5-2 (4-0 Little Ten) with the win, led by Katie Baker’s 24-point, six-rebound, six-assist, five-steal performance.

Reese Cole and Taylor Staton added 12 points apiece — Staton completing the double-double with 14 rebounds — while Paisley Twait contributed 10 points and six boards.

Boys bowling

Ottawa 3,155, Streator 3,022: At Dettore’s Town Lanes, the host Pirates topped their Route 23 rivals led by Zander Parise’s 601 series (216 high game) and Ty Trovero’s 537 (211).

Sophomore/JV boys basketball

Marquette 52, Putnam County 18: At RM Germano Gym in Granville, the Crusaders bounced back from their only loss of the season by blowing out to a 15-4 first period. Tom Durdan finished with 24 points, 13 of them in that first stanza, while Griffin Walker added 11.

JV girls basketball

Ottawa 38, Plano 11: At Kingman Gym, the Lady Corsairs improved to 8-0 on the season with the victory over the Lady Reapers. Cheyenne Joachim and Grace Carroll each netted eight points for Ottawa with Riley O’Fallon adding six points.