Playing alongside her older sister Audrey in her first varsity game at Burlington Central, freshman forward Scarlett LaFleur approached a triple-double during the team’s Mark Einwich Girls Basketball Tournament game with Sycamore on Tuesday night.

Scarlett LaFleur posted six points and five rebounds in the first quarter alone, helping the Rockets command a seven-point lead against the Spartans early in the contest. With Burlington Central seeking a victory to start the 2025-26 season, she finished with 10 points, nine rebounds and six assists in her team’s 55-51 win.

“My teammates really supported me, and I couldn’t have done it without any of them,” Scarlett LaFleur said. “My team believed in me and that helped me a lot because I was very nervous. It’ll definitely bring me confidence into my next game, and I know I can do it.”

Although Sycamore (1-1) controlled the glass in the first half, where the team outrebounded Burlington Central 22-15, the Spartans struggled to knock down perimeter shots. The Rockets (1-0) capitalized, playing through the freshman LaFleur, who put home shots from teammates like her older sister Audrey.

“We all did our part,” said Audrey LaFleur, who totaled 13 points and three rebounds in the game. “Everyone took it to the hoop when they had the chance and we had really good spacing and passes. We took our time and when we saw that open lane, we took it.”

Sycamore’s rebounding advantage, along with an emphasis on pace and fast-break scoring, enabled the Spartans to inch closer over the second and third quarters. Junior guard Quinn Carrier, who led Sycamore to a 64-19 win over Aurora East on Monday, was one of two Spartans in double figures against the Rockets.

“I wanted to get points on the board so we could get back into the game,” said Carrier, who posted 19 points. “I just told myself to focus on the next shot. Our transition game is really strong, so knowing that we could get them tired and push it up the floor helped us get back into our rhythm.”

Burlington Central led 27-23 at halftime and maintained a four-point lead, 43-39, after three quarters. The Spartans opened the second half on a 5-0 run to force a timeout, but Burlington Central responded, getting buckets from Audrey LaFleur and junior Julia Scheuer, who had 13 points, to keep its advantage.

“Ashley [Waslo] did a good job of driving to the hoop and getting the fouls,” Audrey LaFleur said. “It feels great and I thought we were all a little hesitant coming in, so it’s a good start for us.”

Sycamore fought to within two points over the final minutes of the fourth quarter, but key free throws from Waslo, who totaled eight points and three rebounds, helped the Rockets seal the victory. Sophomore guard Sadie Lang earned a double-double for the Spartans, scoring 15 points and adding 10 rebounds.

“I kept my head up and I had energy from my teammates,” Lang said. “After the first quarter, we came out soft, but our coach told us ... to push the tempo, do what we do best and push the ball in transition.”

Burlington Central guard Kendell Zierk, another freshman, lifted the Rockets with seven points and three rebounds to lead all bench scorers Tuesday night. Sycamore senior Grace Amptmann grabbed four rebounds and dished out five assists, while junior Sydney Fabrizius scored six points and snatched eight rebounds.