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 In a game that saw Springfield enjoy a double-digit lead in the
third quarter, the Railers were able to fight back into the contest,
creating a seesaw affair for the latter portion of the fourth
quarter. Unfortunately, it was the Senators making the plays at the
end and coming away with the victory.
The Railers got off to a good start thanks to junior Jordan Gesner.
With Springfield focusing much of their defensive schemes in keeping
the ball away from Railer leading scorer Jordan Nelson, Gesner
scored the first seven Lincoln points, helping the Railers stake an
early 7-2 lead.
After a Senator basket, Nelson was able to push the Lincoln lead
to six with his first of three 3-pointers on the night. After
the two teams traded baskets, the Railers were up 12-6, not knowing
then that they were enjoying the largest lead they would have
all night.
 Springfield played a very physical and aggressive game, especially
on the boards and defensively. Coach Matt Reed's squad used their
toughness to run off a 10-2 stretch that helped them to their first
advantage at 16-14.
A score from Christian Van Hook tied the game at 16 and senior
Nathaniel Smith's basket gave the lead back to Lincoln at 18-16.
Springfield's late basket tied the game at 18 going into intermission, but it was the beginning of a big run by the Senators that
almost decided this game in the third quarter.
Springfield (6-7, 2-2) picked up where they left off, scoring
seemingly at will on the Railer defense. A 14-3 run to start the
third quarter left Railer Nation in stunned silence as the Senators
enjoyed a 32-21 lead. As evidenced last week against Quincy, even
though down, this is not a team that will roll over for anybody, and
as the third quarter came to a close, the crowd at Roy S. Anderson
was treated to one of those scoring outbursts. A back-door layup
from Smith started the push. After a Springfield turnover, Van Hook
missed an easy lay-in, got the rebound and was fouled on the make.
The junior missed the free throw, but Nelson came away with the
rebound. A few passes later, Nelson was draining a 3, and just
like that the Senators' 11-point lead was down to four, 32-28, to
start the fourth quarter.
Springfield's Alex Kramer ended the Railer uprising with his only
3 of the night, but that was answered by another 3 from Gesner, who led the team with a career-high 18 points on the night.
Another 3 from Nelson and the Railers, thanks to an overall 13-3
run, had cut the game to one at 35-34. With the score 36-35, Gesner
found an opening and connected for his fourth 3 of the night,
this one giving the Railers the lead at 38-36 with 2:15 left.
Springfield's next possession saw the Senators miss an early shot
and Gesner was at the line, where he hit both ends of the one-and-one
to stretch the lead to four at 40-36. Gilchrese pulled up and hit a
3 that cut the game to one. After a Lincoln miss, Willie Wiley
scored on a lay-in and was fouled. Wiley, 0-4 from the free-throw
line on the night, missed the opportunity to give Springfield a
little cushion. Down by one, Nelson was fouled and stepped
to the line and hit both free throws with just under 25 seconds
left. After the Railers failed to convert, Gilchrese hit the leaner
with under 10 seconds to go to give Springfield the lead.
The Railers did have one last opportunity, but the swarming
Senator defense kept the Railers from easily controlling the dribble
and Lincoln did not get a final shot to win the game, setting off a
wild celebration scene by the Senators and their fans as they
knocked off the Railers at home.
The Railers were led by Gesner's 18 points, with Nelson joining him
in double figures with 13. Smith finished with seven, while Van Hook
added four.
It was shades of the Quincy game, where the Railers got down early, made a
valiant comeback and then could not pull it out at the end. Lincoln
has to find ways to run their offense, get good shots and learn
that if the officials are going to allow the game to be physical, be
physical.
There are those who may say the officials didn't call what they
should have. There were calls, both ways, that could have been
called. Players need to adjust and be willing to step up and play
physical. This conference is only going to get tougher, and the
closer to March we get, the less we are going to hear that Acme
Thunder whistle.
Still looking for an identity, is this the team that shot so well
during the early part of the season or the team that won fifth place
at Collinsville and lost at home on Friday night? Of all the areas
this team needs to improve on, coach Neil Alexander may have a
remedy for it all. "I'm still waiting for this team to play a full
32 minutes," Alexander said. "To win games like this, you have to
play 32 minutes."
[to top of second column] |
He's right. Getting off to good starts, letting the other team
push you around until you're down double digits, fighting back to
take the lead, only to let it slip through your grasp at the end, is
not the resume of a team that can play deep into March.
Somewhere along the way, this team has gotten off track. It is now
2011 and there are not too many stops left. This team has all the
potential in the world to be special, but me saying it or you
thinking it as you read this is not going to help. A full 32
minutes would go a long way into getting back on track, and hopefully
that can start tonight. Lincoln's next contest will be
tonight at Southeast. No one needs to remind fans, Lincoln and
Southeast alike, of the success the Spartans have enjoyed over the
Railers during the past few seasons. It certainly would be a huge
confidence boost for this team to pick up a big win at Scheffler
Gymnasium. As with most conference Saturday night games, there is a
different starting time. The sophomore game is scheduled to start at
5, with the varsity ready to go at 6:30. If you're planning on going,
make sure you get there early as Southeast fans like to pack the gym
and hold down the attendance from the visitors, especially those
from Lincoln.
___
Lincoln (42)
Gesner 6 2-3 18, Nelson 4 2-2 13, Smith 3 1-2 7, Van Hook 2 0-1 4,
Kirby 0 0-0 0, Coyne 0 0-0 0, Olson 0 0-0 0, Cook 0 0-0 0. Team
15-40 5-8 42.
3-point field goals 7-22 (Gesner 4, Nelson 3).
Rebounds 26, turnovers 11.
 Springfield (43)
Wiley 7 0-4 14, Gilchrese 4 1-2 10, Alexander 5 0-0 10, Shuford 3
0-1 6, Kramer 1 0-0 3. Team 20-43 1-7 43.
3-point field goals 2-12 (Gilchrese,
Kramer).
Rebounds 31, turnovers 13. Score by quarters: End of
first quarter -- LCHS 12, Springfield 8
Halftime -- LCHS 18, Springfield 18
End of third quarter -- Springfield 32, LCHS 28
Other notes:
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Congratulations go out to Dave Swaar and the
pep band at LCHS.
The band has been selected to play at the girls' state tournament
championship on March 5.
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Since I know most of you will be making the trip to Southeast
tonight, make sure you set your DVR for CBS College Sports Network.
Tonight's feature game is Bucknell against Navy and will give Railer
fans a chance to see former Railer Ben Brackney in action.
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The schedule has been released for the Meijer Winter Classic.
Lincoln will play as follows:
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Monday, Jan. 17, 6:30 p.m.
-- vs. Jacksonville
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Wednesday, Jan. 19, 6:30 p.m.
-- vs. Rochester
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Friday, Jan. 21, 6:30 p.m.
-- vs. Highland
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Saturday, Jan. 22,
10 a.m. -- vs. Taylorville
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Saturday, Jan. 22, 8 p.m. -- vs. Glenwood
[By JEFF BENJAMIN]
Jeff Benjamin's Railer basketball articles
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