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DeKALB – DeKalb senior Brytasia Long made sure she was ready for Friday night’s game against Sycamore in the FNBO Challenge at the NIU Convocation Center
Especially motivated to end Sycamore’s 10-game winning streak in this annual trophy game since it’s her final season, Long scored 10 points to help DeKalb to a 40-29 victory.
[ Photos: DeKalb, Sycamore girls basketball teams meet in opening game in 2024 FNBO Challenge at NIU ]
“Knowing it was the last one and that I have to compete for the trophy it was a lot of pressure but I knew I could do it because I put a lot of work into it,” she said. “I know what it feels like. This is my third year on varsity so this is my first time (winning here) but I’m happy that my last one ended on a good note.”
DeKalb junior Alicia Johnson led the Barbs with 19 points, knocking down a pair of three-pointers in the first half and getting to the basket often.
“It’s just my teammates getting me the ball,” she said. “Whenever I think I get the ball I either catch and rip or catch and shoot, whatever I can do to score the basketball.”
Playing with both knees wrapped, her left from a meniscus issue, the other due to a rash, any sort of discomfort was put aside for how great she felt celebrating with her team after.
“It felt so good to just, to finally get that win over Sycamore with the people that I love, my teammates that I love,” she said. “It just feels so good. With my legs wrapped I just play through it and it’s been going good. I just think we are good working together. Even though we have our little ups and downs through the game, we always stay together and push through.”
DeKalb (17-9) pulled away in the second quarter, outscoring Sycamore, 18-6.
“Defensively I think we kind of locked in,” Barbs coach Brad Bjelk said. “That’s what we’ve been doing all year. We were trying to get pressure on them, the whole court. We were able to get some turnovers and went on a couple runs.”
Bjelk’s been around a few years so he recognizes how big of a win this was for his kids, and for him, too.
“This was a big game, something we’ve thought about for the three years I’ve been the head coach,” he said. “So it’s always a big game, one we want to get. So I’m so proud of them. They’ve been working hard all season and this win means a real lot to all of them that have been through some losses.”
Sycamore (8-17) went into halftime trailing 24-11, getting all their points from freshman Sadie Lang. She went down to the hardwood early in the second quarter after knocking heads, but only missed a little more than a minute.
Lang led the Spartans with 15 points.
“She is going to keep developing and just loves basketball, is a gym rat,” Spartans coach Adam Wickness said. “She’s been very coachable this year and made a lot of progress. And it’s hard when you ask a freshman to run point guard and be one of your leading scorers and try to lead a bunch of kids.”
With standout sophomore Quinn Carrier sidelined with an injury, the Spartans are especially challenged offensively.
“With her being out we’ve put an emphasis on competing consistently, winning every possession, every defensive rotation,” Wickness said. “The girls have stepped up and hopefully when Quinn comes back she’ll fit right in as another scoring option while everyone had picked up (their games).”
The Barbs doubled up the Spartans at 30-15 in the final minute of the third quarter after a basket inside from Long. They took their biggest lead at 36-19 on a short jumper in the lane from Johnson midway through the fourth quarter.
The teams played previously in a tournament at Burlington Central in late November. The Barbs won that game, 52-27, to snap a 16-game overall losing streak to the Spartans.