Batavia 62, Sycamore 44
Ricky Clopton accepted the challenge, and Sycamore paid the price.
The 6-foot-5 post on the Batavia boys basketball team realized he had to elevate his game to help make up for the absence of four-year starter Nick Fruendt, currently sidelined by illness.
The Bulldogs' sophomore rose to the challenge and delivered the game of his nascent varsity career, scoring a game-high 20 points to lead the squad past the Spartans 62-44 Friday night in Batavia in Western Sun Conference action.
Batavia improved to 8-1 overall, 5-1 in league play; Sycamore slid to 5-2, 1-2.
"We've all got to step up without Nick," said Clopton, who single-handedly outscored Sycamore in the decisive fourth quarter. "It was my night tonight."
Batavia had matching 16-point quarters to open the game and took a 32-24 lead into the break.
Sycamore forward Will Strack kept the Spartans within striking distance by scoring 11 of his team-high 13 points in the second quarter.
But the Bulldogs shut out the Spartans' senior after the intermission, and their collective defensive performance ultimately underpinned the victory.
Not without a minor blemish in the third quarter, though.
Sycamore engineered a 14-2 burst after halftime, and reserve guard Keegan Johnson nailed a 3-pointer to give the Spartans their first lead of the game, 38-37, since the opening two minutes of the game.
"We lost some people in transition, and they made us pay," Batavia coach Jim Roberts said.
It proved to be the Spartans' lone lead of the second half.
David Bryant gave Batavia the lead for good with a pair at the free-throw line, and the crafty junior hit a 3-pointer with 23 seconds remaining in the third to double the Bulldogs' lead to 44-38.
Batavia then seized all momentum going into the final quarter when Stewart Charles raced the length of the court with a driving layup to beat the third-quarter buzzer.
"Stew Charles was a difference-maker," Roberts said.
Sycamore scored the opening field goal of the fourth, but nearly four minutes would elapse before the Spartans would score again.
In the meantime, Bryant, Clopton and Phil Albrecht orchestrated a quick 6-0 run that restored the double-digit Batavia cushion to 54-40.
The remainder of the game was highlighted by Clopton polishing off his career night with easy buckets as Sycamore vainly sought to pressure the Bulldogs' guards at the head of the key.
"(Clopton) was living around the rim tonight, and we did a good job of finding him," said Albrecht, who added 10 points.
Bryant and Jordan Smith added 9 points apiece, and all eight players who saw action scored for Batavia.
"We were late to spots (defensively)," Sycamore coach Jeff Hillmor said. "Batavia is a good team, and if you leave guys open they're going to find them."