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 The Spartans, held to no field goals in the fourth quarter,
delivered from the free throw line when it mattered most, sinking 14
of 16 in the final eight minutes as Southeast knocked off the
Railers 49-44. With Lincoln’s loss and a win by Glenwood over
Lanphier, the stage is set for a winner-take-all matchup on Friday
night with the victor enjoying the spoils of calling themselves CS8
champs.
However, if the Railers have a night like they did on Tuesday night,
it will be a struggle against a very talented Titan team. As Josh
Komnick mentioned during our radio broadcast, the Railers have been
flirting with a game like this for a while and it finally caught up
with them.
Gavin Block has his usual good night of scoring, but on only three
field goals. Most of his damage was done at the line where he went
15 of 16. Unfortunately, the Spartans defense did an outstanding job
of limiting Lincoln opportunities, both inside the lane and beyond
the three point line. There are many nights when Lincoln finishes
with just two three pointers. “We didn’t get many good looks at
shots tonight,” Coach Neil Alexander said, “but when we did, we
didn’t make them.”
 After Southeast fell behind early at 6-4, their patience on offense
and tenacity on defense helped them build a lead of as many as ten
points. Each time the lead would grow, the Railers would find
fortune and trim the lead down to one possession. I’m one that
believes the lead means more than you think. How many times do you
see games where a team that trails for most of the game starts
climbing back into the contest, maybe even ties the game, but never
takes the lead? In those games, how many times do you see the team
that trailed never find a way to win? On Tuesday night, the Railers
fought back hard from one deficit after another, eventually knotting
the game at 44 with 32 seconds remaining. But they never got the
lead, never put Southeast in a position of being down late.
It was also a game that had no rhythm. In a game that featured over
40 fouls and 44 free throws, neither team found an offensive groove
they could settle into. For at least one night, that style favored
Southeast (14-11, 10-7). This certainly was not a squad that played
as though they were just over .500 for the season and now the
Railers can join the Generals and Titans in attesting to that.
After Southeast jumped out to an early 4-0 lead, a three pointer
from Jordan Perry and three point play of an offensive rebound by
Block put Lincoln up 6-4. Strange to say because it is usually the
other way around, but it would be the only lead Lincoln (24-5, 13-4)
would taste on the night. Two three point plays, one from long range
and another conventional, sandwiched around a putback basket fueled
an 8-0 run that saw the Spartans take the lead at 12-6. Lincoln got
its first break of the night after Block was fouled and Southeast
was assessed a technical foul due to an error in the scorebook.
Block made all four free throws and, just like that, the Railers
were down only a pair.
Will Cook closed out the first quarter scoring with an offensive
rebound he dropped over the front of the rim to bring the deficit
back to two at 14-12. Lincoln definitely had its chances thanks to
the number of fouls being called. When Payton Ebelherr was fouled
with 7:20 left in the first half, the Railers were already in the
bonus. Block, who must have felt as though he was in either a
football game or rugby match due to the physical pounding he took on
every trip down the floor, hit two more free throws to cut the lead
to 17-14. After that, it was another run, this time 7-0, to put the
Spartans up double digits at the 3:40 mark.
 It took freshman Isaiah Bowers to break the scoring drought with a
three. Again, not sounding very Railer-like, but Lincoln would not
hit another three on the evening. The momentum for the Railers would
get another boost with 55 seconds left in the first half. Now, you
can imagine a game with all these fouls and physical play, it is
rather a good bet that neither bench or fan base is going to be
happy with the calls. Apparently, someone on the Southeast bench
crossed that line after a foul call and a technical foul was called.
After Bowers split the foul free throws, Block hit both technical
shots and Lincoln was down just seven. The halftime picture got a
little brighter when Block was fouled on a basket and hit the free
throw with 3.1 seconds left in the half. By the time the buzzer
sounded, the ten point deficit had been cut to just four at the half
at 27-23.
[to top of second column] |
In a case of déjà vu, it was Southeast scoring the second half’s
first basket on an alley lob, similar to the play used by the
Railers. However, inside got Lincoln even closer with inside scores
by Aron Hopp and Block. But again, as the entire night seemed to go,
just as Lincoln would get within arm’s reach, Southeast would pull
back away. A 6-0 run, including a pair of inside scores by D’Angelo
Hughes put the margin back to eight. Lincoln was able to gain a bit
of push in the third quarter’s final 11.5 seconds after a pair of
free throws by Ebelherr and a steal and turnover that ended up with
Bowers hitting a floater at the buzzer bringing Lincoln to within
35-31.
The toughest part of the second half was the chances that Lincoln
did not take advantage of. “We had opportunities, we just did not
convert,” Alexander said. “In a low-possession game, you can’t
fumble away opportunities.” He was referencing plays that including
run out passes that were thrown a bit too far, an open teammate
found under the basket for an easy two only to let the ball slip out
of bounds, a slip and fall on an inbounds play. It was as though
some mystical force was putting a whammy on the Railers. But, no, it
was just one of those nights.
With Southeast up 44-38, the Railers made their move. Hopp scored on
a tough, decisive drive to the basket. After a block by Gavin Block,
he was able to find Bowers for a lay-in to cut the lead to two. It
was Block, who finished with 21 points, who tied the game with 32.8
seconds left by hitting a pair of free throws. Lincoln fouled Isaiah
Walton who made just one free throw with 23 seconds left. Ebelherr
was fouled with 16 seconds remaining, but could not draw Lincoln any
closer from the line. Walton’s two free throws with 15 seconds left
kept it a one possession game at 47-44.
Lincoln’s hopes for the full comeback may have actually slipped away
when Block took the inbounds pass and started up court. However, as
he turned, he hit a slick spot on the floor, went to the ground and
was whistled for travelling with 13.4 to go. Trevyon Williams sank
two more from the line with 10 seconds to go and Lincoln could draw
no closer, falling 49-44.
“Our kids played hard, they did not quit,” Alexander stated. “But,
give them (Southeast) credit. They are playing very good basketball
right now. They will not be an easy out in their regional.”
As we mentioned, Block led the way with 21 points. His 539 points so
far this season put him at 17th on the best single season scoring
list. Bowers finished with eight points, while Hopp, Cook, and
Ebelherr all chipped in with four. Perry rounded out the scoring
with three.
So, one game left in the regular season. Friday night, it is
Glenwood coming to town with the winner crowned CS8 champs. More
importantly, the Railers don’t want to be dragging a two-game losing
streak into regional play, something that would happen should they
fall to Glenwood. Whatever you are doing between now and then, make
sure it gets taken care of so you can be at Roy S. Anderson
Gymnasium on Friday night. It is Senior Night as well as Fan
Appreciation night. Those BBQ sandwiches sure would taste a lot
better if the Railers can pull out the win. It will be packed so get
there early.
LINCOLN (44)
Block 3 15-16 21, Bowers 3 1-2 8, Cook 2 0-0 4, Hopp 2 0-0 4,
Ebelherr 0 4-7 4, Perry 1 0-0 3. TEAM 11 20-25 44. 3pt FG 2 (Perry,
Bowers).
SOUTHEAST (49)
Hughes 15, Walton 10, T.Williams 8, Devoe 5, Ousley 5, Johnson 3,
Stapleton 3. TEAM 15 16-19 49. 3pt FG 3 (Walton, Johnson,
Stapleton).
LCHS 12-11-8-13 44
SOUTHEAST 14-13-8-14 49 [Jeff Benjamin] |
