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Tuesday, March 18

Congrats to Lincoln College Lynx
on their way to national basketball tourney

[MARCH 18, 2003]  The 26-7 Lincoln College Lynx, who we believe have won 19 of their last 20 games, have advanced to the National Junior College Men's Division II Basketball Tournament for the first time in over 20 years!

[For more information on the tournament, visit http://www.dacc.edu/njcaa/.]

Former Illini Bradford named to all-rookie team

[MARCH 18, 2003]  BOISE, Idaho -- The Continental Basketball Association announced March 13 that Grand Rapids Hoops guard Immanuel McElroy was named the CBA's 2002-03 Rookie of the Year and was named to the all-rookie team. Also earning all-rookie honors were Sioux Falls Skyforce forward Corsley Edwards, Dakota Wizards guard Cory Bradford, Idaho Stampede forward Byron Mouton and Great Lakes Storm forward Cam Stephens.

McElroy, a 6-foot-4, 200-pound Cincinnati product, averaged 11.8 points, 4.5 rebounds and rookie highs of 3.4 assists and 1.0 steals. The Hoops' fourth-round draft pick (29th overall) was also the most accurate shooter among this season's rookie crop, nailing 212-of-358 (.592) shots from the floor and 120-of-147 (.816) from the charity stripe. McElroy, the 2002 Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year, averaged 9.5 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.7 assists as a senior with the Bearcats and was named to the all-tournament team for Conference USA.

Edwards, an honorable mention all-American as a senior at Central Connecticut State, was selected in the second round of the NBA draft (58th overall) by the Sacramento Kings and in the third round of the CBA draft (17th overall) by the Yakima Sun Kings. After being released from Sacramento's training camp, the 6-foot-9, 275-pound Edwards played six games for Yakima before joining the Skyforce on Dec. 5. The only rookie to participate in the 2003 CBA All-Star Classic, Edwards led all rookies with 14.0 points, 6.6 rebounds and 0.8 blocks per game.

Bradford, an honorable mention all-American as a junior at Illinois, averaged 7.7 points per game and led all rookies with a .398 (47-of-118) 3-point shooting percentage.

[to top of second column in this article]

Mouton, a starter for Maryland's 2002 national championship team, was selected in the first round (third overall) of the 2003 CBA draft by Idaho, where he averaged 11.0 points and 4.4 rebounds in 47 contests.

Stephens (UNC-Charlotte), a second-team selection for Conference USA in 2002, was chosen in the third round (21st overall) of the CBA draft by Great Lakes. He tallied 8.0 points and 4.7 rebounds in 36 games for the Storm.

Rookie honors were selected by CBA head coaches. Also receiving votes were Gary Steelheads guard Dane Fife and Skyforce guard Marcus Taylor. To be eligible, players must have played in 24 games (half of the 48-game schedule), must be in good standing with the CBA and must have been eligible for the CBA college draft in 2003. Coaches could not vote for their own players.

On Monday, Dakota Wizards forward Andy Panko was named the 2002-03 CBA Most Valuable Player.

First and second teams for the league are to be announced Tuesday.

An MVP for the playoffs will be announced following the CBA final next week.

For more information, visit http://www.cbahoopsonline.com.

[Bryant J. Kuechle, media and public relations director, Continental Basketball Association]

Cook named tourney MVP as legacy resume explodes off the charts

(Monday afternoon posting)

[MARCH 17, 2003]  It was finally our turn. We knew if we lived long enough something good would happen, and it finally did. And it couldn't happen to a nicer team! Seriously, this really is a good bunch of guys. And the best of the bunch is our man Brian Cook! At least that's according to the media after the Illini's thrilling 72-59 victory over arguably the most gritty team in the league, the Ohio State Buckeyes.

Cook, who once again hit for double figures, with 15 points and seven rebounds, oftentimes did what he's done all season -- showed leadership to the kids. He was almost directing traffic like a traffic cop, and when the Illini needed a big bucket, Cook was only too glad to deliver.

But don't forget the contributions of James Augustine and Roger Powell. Powell led all Illini scorers with 16 HUGE points, and all Augustine, the unheralded freshman from Mokena, did was roll a double-double. How do you like that kind of production in the Big Ten tourney's championship game?

And never forget the 3s drilled by the coach's son, Sean Harrington; those were big. And Deron Williams, Dee Brown, Nick Smith and Luther Head were more than solid.

And what can you say about the Illinois fans? They came out in droves and must have friends in at least nine other schools judging by the sweet seats many of them had.

[to top of second column in this article]

I don't want to put this column to bed without giving some props to the Buckeyes. Brent Darby and his crew were fantastic. They played with the heart of a champion and just would never quit. If Jim O'Brien and his staff are not among the best in the country, then I don't know who is. Talk about competing? They were fantastic. They were not only a tribute to their university but to the Big 10 as well. We tip our collective hat to them.

One other thing… We just received word that the Illini got a No. 4 seed in the West bracket with Duke, Kansas and Arizona. Nice job, selection committee! Why not just let us play Kentucky in the first round at Rupp Arena?

Right now, we're not even thinking about the Big Dance. We're not going to let ANYthing distract us from the way we're feeling right now. We're still celebrating the title. We're not going to let any slaps from the NCAA keep us from feeling so euphoric! We just won the stinkin' Big Ten tourney and our native son was named the tourney's MVP. We're ecstatic and so is Illini nation!!!

[LDN]

Cook's 25 points saves LDN and Illini and beats IU 73-72

By LDN staff

(Monday afternoon posting)

[MARCH 17, 2003]  We take back everything bad we ever said about Indiana. All right… we take back some of the bad things we've said about them. OK, we take back a couple of the bad things we've said about the Hoosiers. Seriously, we still don't like them very much. And after they came back so ferociously in Saturday's game, we may always like them even less.

But Illinois' narrow 73-72 victory over Indiana was actually closer than the score indicated!

There were several times that the Illini were ready to deliver the knockout punch, but each time IU was able to hang on. Especially in the final three minutes.

And Lincoln's Brian Cook nailed 25 points, and even that was almost not enough. Had it not been for his two clutch frees in the final 10 seconds, Illinois goes home on Saturday once again. By delivering in the clutch, just like he's done throughout his entire career, he probably clinched the tourney's most outstanding player award.

[to top of second column in this article]

But more importantly than that, he kept the LDN's sports staff from dining on a humiliating big dish of crow. Thanks to Cook, we have kept our braggin' rights over the hospitality state for a whole ‘nother year, and a one-point victory may be even sweeter than the last time we blew them out.

Whew. All we can say is… thank God for Cook!

[LDN]

Articles from the past week

• Last week's column: "Cook, seniors say goodbye to the Hall"
• More columns...

Announcements

Lincoln game ticket information

[MARCH 15, 2003]  Lincoln will play Tuesday, March 18, at Redbird Arena in Normal at 7:30 p.m. Tickets will be sold as follows:

Varsity players and managers, varsity cheerleaders and sponsor may purchase tickets for their immediate families on Sunday evening at 7:30 p.m. at the ticket booth.

Monday morning (March 17) LCHS Board of Education, administrators, scorekeepers, timers, freshman-sophomore players, junior varsity cheerleaders, pep band and pom squad may purchase their tickets in the main office.

LCHS students may purchase tickets during their lunch hours or after school on Monday in the main office.

Season ticket holders may purchase their tickets on Monday, March 17, from 6 to 7 p.m.

The general public may purchase tickets from 7 to 7:30 p.m. in the main office.

Tickets may be purchased on Tuesday morning until 10:30 in the main office.

[Pat Zurkammer, ticket manager;
732-4131, Ext. 226]

[MARCH 6, 2003]  The Lincoln PONY Association will have its annual spring sign-up this year beginning March 9 and running until March 29. Sign-up sheets can be obtained at the front desk of the Lincoln Rec Center. On Saturday, March 29, representatives of Lincoln PONY will be on hand to assist with signups.

Lincoln PONY ball is for both boys baseball and girls softball, ages 8 through 14.

Additional information can be obtained at the Lincoln PONY website and at http://www.pony.org/.

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