Romeoville beats Lockport in season opener

LOCKPORT – Tykara Harrison is back, and the Romeoville girls basketball team is happy to have her.

Harrison, who started for the Spartans as a freshman, transferred to Plainfield Central for the past two seasons. But Harrison now is back at Romeoville for her senior season, and the guard scored a game-high 22 points as the Spartans survived a furious rally to beat the host Porters, 49-44, on Tuesday in the season opener for both teams.

“It was just really nice to get the W on the road,” Harrison said. “I always want to beat Lockport. They always have a 6-foot tall girl. I know once we get in a rhythm this year we are going to be good.”

The Spartans (1-0) were good enough Tuesday to survive 24 turnovers, including eight in the fourth quarter. They led, 35-21, after three quarters only to see Lockport piece together a frantic spurt of 23 points in the final 6:31 of the game after scoring a single point in the previous 10 minutes.

“We’re young and have to learn how to close out games,” said second-year Romeoville coach Devin Bates, an assistant at the school for six seasons before taking over as head coach in the shortened spring season. “But Tykara is going to be a great player. We very much are so are glad she’s back. She’s hungry to help us.”

The Porters (0-1) still were down, 43-33, but senior guard Angelica Bafia (11 points) hit a 3-pointer from the left corner with 2:17 to play to start a spurt that twice got Lockport within four points. Down 45-41, the Porters missed a layup and then a pair of free throws with 32.9 seconds remaining that would have cut the lead to two.

Senior post player Alina Anderson (10 points, 6 rebounds) hit two free throws with 28.9 seconds remaining to make it 47-41, but senior guard Dania Sweis, who scored all eight of her points in the fourth quarter the Porters, made a 3-pointer to close them within three points with 18 seconds to play.

Lockport then forced a turnover and had a possession to tie. However, that was short-lived as its 25th turnover of the game gave the ball back to Romeoville. Harrison, who was 10 for 10 from the line in the second half, ended the madness by swishing two free throws with 8.2 seconds remaining for the final points.

“My teammates trusted me,” Harrison said. “(Sophomore guard) Emily Gabrelcik (5 points) got me the ball at the end because she trusted me to make the free throws. I just had to stay in control and make all my free throws.”

Lockport scored the first point of the game for its only lead. After ties at 3, 5 and 7, Harrison hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key to give Romeoville the lead for good at 10-7. It was 10-9 after the first quarter and the Spartans had a 10-1 run to open the second quarter. They led, 27-20, at halftime and extended to a 35-21 advantage after three.

Sophomore guard Laila Houseworth added five points for Romeoville. Senior forwards Paige Rannels (11 points) and Delaney O’Brien (6 points) contributed for the Porters, who finished 15 of 31 from the free throw line.

“I was pleased with the fight we had,” Lockport coach Dan Kelly said. “We could have laid down but we didn’t. We forced a lot of turnovers but we gave a lot back. But I wasn’t happy with 15 of 31 from the free-throw line. We were down a starter [senior guard Bit Sochacki was out with a foot injury] and we have to clean some things up.”

The Spartans want to be better, but after going 4-9 in this past shortened season Bates is excited.

“This group of girls loves challenges,” he said. “They have embraced it.”