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 And that number was 67.
For the third meeting of the season, the Spartans scored 67 points
and, as in the previous two, came away victorious over the Lincoln
Railers, this time by a score of 67-57. The Southeast win puts
them into Friday night's sectional final against defending state
champion Champaign Centennial, while the Railers see their season
come to an end at 28-4.
Coming into the contest, Southeast certainly had the mental edge,
winning five straight over Lincoln, including two 67-55 victories
earlier in the season. In both games, it was the play of
Southeast's Michael Chandler that made the difference. In game
one at Lincoln, the senior hit 15 of 17 shots, finishing with 34
points. Last month, with the defensive focus turned more to
Chandler, he was able to distribute to his teammates. He still
finished with 20 points, but early on he was more of a decoy.
On the game's first defensive possession for Lincoln, it was
apparent the Railers were going to make Southeast beat them from
outside. The top of the Railer zone was packed back in, covering
Chandler at times with three Railers within whispering distance.
Unfortunately, Southeast did beat them from outside, hitting
their first four 3-point attempts. Jumping out to an early 8-2
lead, the Spartans were given clean looks from just past the arc, and
they did not miss. Down 10-4, Lincoln scored four in a row on
baskets from Jordan Nelson and Nathaniel Smith. When Nelson hit
Lincoln's only 3 of the quarter to pull the Railers within one
at 12-11, not one person in the gym at Centennial High School could
have guessed that would be as close as Lincoln would get in the
game. Another five-point run gave Southeast a 17-11 lead. After a
Ben Brackney basket cut the lead to four, Southeast's Herman Senor
ended a perfectly played quarter by Southeast by connecting from the
top of the key for the second of his two 3s in the opening
period as the Spartans led 20-13 at the end of one.
The second quarter started no better for Lincoln as Southeast scored
seven of the first nine points in the quarter. With Southeast up
27-15, Lincoln showed their only consistency from the offensive end.
A Brackney 3 followed by baskets from Nelson and Smith and
another from Brackney brought the Railers to within three at 27-24.
Southeast stopped the run with a basket to pull back up by five,
but Nelson was fouled just to the left of the top of the key and
connected on all three free throws. With Lincoln down 29-27, it
was Southeast defense and sloppy Lincoln ballhandling that took all
that momentum and gave it back to Southeast in the final minute of
the half. Two Lincoln turnovers on dribbling, either excessively and
unnecessarily into traffic, resulted in easy baskets for Southeast.
What looked like a close one going in at the half saw Southeast
take a nine-point advantage into the half at 36-27. The second
half did not start any better for the Railers. Just 16 seconds into
the half, Nelson was fouled again shooting a 3. Unlike the first
time, Nelson connected on just one free throw, preventing Lincoln
from stealing the momentum right back. On the next possession,
Smith missed a layup, and it was looking more and more like all the
breaks, loose balls, close calls -- everything was bouncing
Southeast's way.
Just like the first quarter, Southeast started from long
range. When Rodney Smith hit from outside, the Spartans had regained
their halftime advantage at 39-30. Austin Kirby was able to get the
Lincoln crowd back in it by answering with his own 3, but it was
like that all night. When Lincoln would get to within six or
seven, Southeast would make a play to take it back to nine or
10. Lincoln's only other scoring in the quarter came on two baskets
from Smith.
The Spartans (20-9) led at the end of the quarter 49-37 and a lot
of the credit goes to their defense, holding Nelson and Brackney to
the single free throw from Nelson in the quarter.
[to top of second column] |
A quick basket from Southeast to open the fourth quarter gave
them their largest lead of the night at 51-37. The Lincoln defense
did play better in the fourth. The intensity was there, but it may
have been prompted by the desperation of being down 14 and not
wanting their season to end.
No matter what, throughout this season, this team would not quit,
and Wednesday night was no different. A Brackney free throw was
followed by Nelson's second 3 of the night to get Lincoln back
down by only 10 at 51-41.
After the teams traded baskets, and down 12, Brackney hit for the
last 3 of his Lincoln career to make it 55-46. It was now time
for Nelson to take over. The junior scored 14 of his game-high 25
points in the quarter, including nine in a row at one point that
featured a four-point play on a made 3 and a free throw.
When Lincoln's second all-time 3-point shooter buried another
one from long range, the Railers were on the march and had cut the
lead to 60-55.
Southeast tried to help by struggling at the free-throw line, but
again, the rebounds would not find Railer hands. A furious comeback
in the quarter was furthered when Smith hit from about 17 feet and
Lincoln was down 61-57.
Unfortunately, the Railers ran out of time and luck as Southeast
scored the final six points of the game to win by 10 at 67-57.
And just like that, the season is over. It is not the way anyone in
Railer Nation wanted it to end.
 Could this team have beaten
Centennial? Well, we'll never know, but it sure would have been nice
to get the chance. After the game, there were tears and hugs. Whether it be players, coaches, fans, families
-- everyone understood
the hurt that will last for a while. And if they didn't care, it
wouldn't hurt.
In this final game, Nelson led the team with 25, while Brackney
scored 13 in his final game as a Railer. Smith joined in double
figures with 12, while Brant Coyne added four and Kirby scored
three.
As disappointing as the end of the season was, a lot of great things
happened along the way, from Lincoln's coach Neil Alexander reaching the 600-win milestone to Brackney and Nelson climbing the list in a number
of all-time and season statistical categories. I invite you to
watch for a season wrap-up early next week to look at some of the
accomplishments this Railer squad will be remembered for.
Oh, speaking of numbers, here's one that hopefully will give you
thought as you read this:
257
That's the number of days until the Railers open the 2010-2011
season on the Monday night before Thanksgiving. It will be here
before you know it. ___
LINCOLN (57) Nelson 7 7-9 25, Brackney 4 3-4 13, Smith 6 0-0 12, Coyne 2 0-0 4,
Kirby 1 0-0 3, Bowlby 0 0-1 0, Turner 0 0-0 0. Team 20 10-14 57.
3-point field goals 7 (Nelson 4, Brackney 2, Kirby).
Southeast (67) Chandler 14, Smith 13, Senor 12, Brooks 11, Gardner 10, Jac. Anderson
6, Akuoko 1. Team 22 17-24 67. 3-point field goals 6 (Senor 3,
Gardner 2, Smith). Southeast 20-16-13-18
Lincoln 13-14-10-20
[Special report by JEFF BENJAMIN]
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