Lowery scores 1000 points in Toppers win
 

[February 14, 2015]  MOUNT PULASKI - Michael Lowery just wanted to get this one out of the way. And the 6'3 senior did just that Friday night as he scored 22 points, his season high, over the Illini Central Cougars, on his way to scoring 1,000 points in his basketball career.

Lowery scored 12 points in the first half, and despite having only two points in the third quarter, he came back determined to score eight more in the fourth quarter and thus get this milestone out of the way.

The senior breathed a sigh of relief as Coach Ryan Deibert called a timeout with 1:59 on the clock in the fourth quarter, and as the crowd gave him a standing ovation, teammates patted the publicity-shy Lowery on the back. Lowery is the 15th person in Mount Pulaski High School boys basketball history to score 1,000 points.

Meanwhile back on the hardwood, the Toppers scored first in this one and never trailed at all. At the end of the first quarter the Toppers were on top 19-7, as Lowery had seven points. Lowery seemed to be feeling it this evening as he opened the quarter with a three and extended the Topper lead 22-7.

Riley Entwistle answered back with his own three for the Cougars and the score was 22-10. The Toppers continued to play on top of their game and a steal by Blake Collier made the score 28-12. Mount Pulaski continued to cruise as Beau Collier found Peyton Taylor under the basket for two points and the Toppers headed to the locker room up 30-15.

Beau Collier opened the third quarter action for Mount Pulaski with a three and then Collier again was instrumental in the next play for the Toppers as he alley-ooped an inbounds pass into Lowery and all of a sudden the Toppers were up by 20 points, 35-15. Then it was Dalton Litterly showing off his nice moves on a drive to the basket for two points. The Toppers would end the third quarter up 39-20.

The fourth quarter started off a little slow with Taylor finally getting two points off an offensive rebound to pad the Toppers lead, 41-20. Lowery's next points came rather quickly as he notched a three and a two before missing a three around the 2:40 mark. He hovered around the student section just outside the three point line and decided to pop his 1,000 point around the 2:20 mark. The fan section knew it and they erupted in applause for "Big Mike." Following a timeout by Coach Deibert with 1:59 on the clock all the starters came out and the entire crowd stood in appreciation of Lowery's feat at this time.

The final score of the ballgame was 51-26.

The Toppers improve to 15-10 and will host Illini Bluffs next Friday night in the final home game of the season.

Toppers scoring:
Lowery 22
Taylor 11
Blake Collier 4
Litterly 4
Beau Collier 3
Huff 3
Curry 2
Amidon 1
Aylesworth 1


Illini Central scoring:
Lynn 9
Entwistle 8
Hilst 4
Curry 3
McKinley 2

[Teena Lowery]