Boys Basketball: Sandburg holds off Lyons

When two struggling teams square off, it’s usually not about who plays better but who makes fewer mistakes and who scores key baskets when points are hard to come by.

That was certainly the case on Saturday as Sandburg squeaked by Lyons 41-36.

Both teams endured long stretches of sloppy basketball. Sandburg (2-4) was held to score seven points in the second period and Lyons finished with only three points, all free throws, in the third period. The Lions (1-5) committed seven turnovers in the period and the first point, a Kenneth Smith free throw, did not come until the 1:33 mark.

With 4:07 left to play in the game, 6-foot-7 senior center Ken Payonk (nine points, 10 rebounds), grabbed an offensive rebound, scored and was fouled. He hit the free throw to give Sandburg a 35-32 lead. After two-and-a-half minutes of scoreless basketball, Smith drove the lane and muscled the ball in past three Eagle defenders. Both Sandburg and Lyons then turned the ball over on their next possessions.

Brian Dace (11 points) seemed to put the Eagles in control when he went down the baseline, absorbed the contact, and connected off the glass. His ensuing free throw gave the Eagles a 38-34 lead with 54 seconds remaining.

But Chris O’Reilly, who led Lyons with 10 points, answered immediately, scoring with a floater in the lane. The Eagles then committed a backcourt violation, giving Lyons one last chance to snatch the win.

After a timeout, Lyons executed a play that set up Matt Robare with a path to the basket. But by the time he reached the paint, two Sandburg defenders converged on him and the senior guard found himself trying to lay the ball in off an awkward angle. The missed shot was pulled down by Payonk, who was immediately fouled.

“It’s a great win for us. I’m really proud of the guys,” said Sandburg coach Todd Allen. “I thought defensively we did a great job, holding them to 12 points in the second half.”

Sandburg forward Joe Kuligoski led all scorers with 14 points.

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