Effingham defeats Lincoln 53-52 in overtime
Singleton leads the way with a 26-point effort

[February 15, 2021]  The Lincoln Railers traveled to Effingham on Friday night to take on the Flaming Hearts, who entered the contest with a 5-0 record. Lincoln entered the game with a 3-0 record on the season. Either team was going to end up with a heart-breaking loss. On this very cold night it happened to be Lincoln going down with one incredible fight to the finish, losing 53-52 in overtime.

The game was off to a quick start for the Railers, who had possession to start the game, as Elijah Pollice opened with a three. Effingham answered with a three to tie.

Adam Grunder’s three from the corner gave Lincoln a 6-3 lead. Parker Wolfe launched a three to tie the game 6-6.

After the “mask timeout” Parker Wolfe would emerge to put Effingham back on top 9-6 with yet another three. The ball was sailing through that net for both teams early on.

Dylan Singleton managed to knot the score at nine after his bucket in the lane and the “and one.” Effingham had one more three to show off in the first quarter, this one by Dalton Fox, and that would settle the first quarter score with Lincoln trailing 12-9.

Second quarter

The Flaming Hearts surged out to a 17-10 lead in the second quarter. The only Lincoln offense in that stretch was a free throw from Singleton. A basket in the lane by Singleton later on made the score 17-12.

But back come the Flaming Hearts.  A 7-0 run made it possible for Effingham to take a 24-12 lead. This Effingham offense was proving to be a force to be reckoned with.

Coach Neil Alexander called a timeout and it was evident he had seen enough.

Grunder’s long three following the timeout inched the Railers closer, 24-15. The Flaming Hearts defense continued to trouble the Railers in the second quarter. Lincoln was struggling against the Flaming Hearts big man in the middle, Nate Thompson. Thompson’s bucket in the lane late in second quarter action sent the Railers scurrying to the locker room down 26-15 at the half.

Third quarter

The third quarter started with Effingham having possession of the ball and Garrett Wolfe was quick to hit a three and keep the momentum rolling for the Flaming Hearts. 

On the Railers end, Landon Hullinger came alive with his first points of the game, a three that made the score 29-18.

After Parker Wolfe connected for a 30-footer, Grunder did nearly the same for Lincoln on the other end. Parker Wolfe then did it again. By now the name is more than familiar, with Parker Wolfe making the score 35-21. At the 5:45 mark Thompson would add two free throws to pad the score 37-21. A 16-point lead now for the Flaming Hearts was the story.

Brody Whiteman added a basket to trim the lead, but Parker Wolfe earned those points back at the free throw line after getting fouled on a three-point effort. That’s a dagger in the heart of any coach. At least Parker Wolfe missed one of those free throws. The Flaming Hearts still held a commanding 39-23 lead in this third quarter.

Back come the Railers and Landon Hullinger. Back-to-back threes by “Lando” cut the lead to 39-29 at the 2:05 mark. Lincoln really needed that boost.

The dotted crowd of just a handful of Effingham fans allowed inside the gym sounded like a packed Busch Stadium in Game 6 of the 2011 World Series. The Railers definitely had their hands full with the crowd serving as the sixth man on this night.

Before the third quarter was over, Thompson put the Flaming Hearts lead in the books, 41-29 with a basket in the lane.

Final fourth

Let’s go to the fourth quarter and see what Lincoln has left in them.

Lincoln ball to start the action was a good beginning. Singleton penetrating the lane and drawing a foul and sinking two free throws was a plus just twenty-two seconds into the quarter. A quick steal by Pollice and the dish off to Singleton was another plus in the game plan. Singleton sprinted down the court and took on four Flaming Hearts in the lane and earned that basket. 41-33 now the score.

Singleton was leading the offense in the fourth quarter. He would go 1-for-2 at the line with just under five minutes to play. Singleton’s basket in the lane pulled the Railers even closer, 41-36 the score.

Meanwhile the Lincoln defense was stepping up and causing turnovers. Perhaps the biggest defensive play of the quarter was Hullinger taking the charge and getting the Railers bench fired up.

With 2:13 remaining in the game and Lincoln coming down the court it would be Singleton driving the lane and drawing the foul on Thompson.

In the midst of the intensity, a technical foul would be called on Jacob Stoneburner and this would turn out to be the prayer that the Railers needed answered. Singleton will go to the line and shoot the foul shots and get the nod to shoot the technical shots. He would sink 4-for-4 at the line and Lincoln was back in the game.

A 41-40 score now flashed on the scoreboard.

In these nearly six minutes of play it was Singleton 11 and the Flaming Hearts 0. An impressive offensive run by the senior point guard for Lincoln and there is still 2:13 left to play in the game. Who has the momentum now?

With 1:47 to go, it would be Pollice stepping up to hit a three and give Lincoln a 43-41 lead. What an amazing comeback in this fourth quarter!

Parker Wolfe would use a two-point field goal to tie the game 43-43 around the 1:30 mark.

With Lincoln controlling the ball the remainder of the game, the plan was evident: hold for the win.

After a couple Lincoln timeouts down the stretch, the Railers emerged with 7:3 seconds remaining and the plan in place: Get the ball in the hands of Singleton. The Railers offense did just that and with the clock ticking, Singleton tossed up the would-be game winner and it went around the rim, in and then out, and eventually hit the floor with the buzzer going off.

This one is going to overtime tied 43-43.

What an effort in the fourth quarter to shut down Effingham and tie the game. Incredible. To overtime we go!

Overtime would be another valiant effort by Lincoln, but it would end leaving the Railers feeling like the Texas Rangers from Game 6 of that 2011 World Series.

Parker Wolfe put the Flaming Hearts in front 46-43. Singleton kept Lincoln in the game with his bucket in the lane, 46-45 Flaming Hearts lead. Thompson’s move in the lane kept Effingham out front, 48-45.

Two Singleton free throws later and the score was 48-47. With under a minute to play, Lincoln was forced to foul and send Park Wolfe to the line. Wrong guy here. He was 2-for-2 and the lead grew to 50-47.

Meanwhile Singleton continued his drives and beatings in the lane, with no fouls called.

Parker Wolfe went to the line again to go 2-for-2 with and the lead grew to 52-47.

With under thirty seconds left, Singleton would finally get a shot in the lane to fall and the lead dwindled to 52-49.

Parker Wolfe stepped to the line one more time and his 1-for -2 effort would be all the Flaming Hearts would need with time dwindling for the Railers.

With the clock running out, Singleton managed to get a three off and it was good at the buzzer, but not good enough. Lincoln would fall 53-52 in overtime to Effingham.

Dylan Singleton led Lincoln with 26 points.

Parker Wolfe led Effingham with 27 points.

Lincoln falls to 3-1 on the season.

Effingham improves to 6-0 on the season.

Lincoln will play at home today versus Mount Zion. The JV game will start at 1 p.m. The Varsity will start at 2:30 p.m.

In the JV contest Effingham defeated Lincoln 44-35.

Varsity scoring

 Lincoln 52

Singleton 26
Hullinger 9
Grunder 9
Pollice 6
Whiteman 2

Effingham 53

P. Wolfe 27
Thompson 12
G. Wolfe 9
Fox 3
Stoneburner 2

JV scoring

Lincoln 35

Gowin 8
Sasse 6
Nelson 5
Kingsley 5
Cook 3
Stevens 2
Crane 2
Bivin 2
Schilling 2

Effingham 44

Volpi 11
Hardiek 11
Estrada 11
Splechter 8
Ritz 2
Hull 1

[the amazing Teena Lowery]