Railers fall twice on Thursday in two very different ways

EDWARDSVILLE 42, LINCOLN 32
 DECATUR EISENHOWER 38, LINCOLN 31

[December 30, 2016]  The Lincoln Railers played two very different games on Thursday in Collinsville. In one, they executed their game plan almost to perfection but it was still no enough to best top-seeded Edwardsville. In the nightcap, the Railers had too many things go wrong and even though Eisenhower struggled just as much, the Panthers came out on top. With one game left in the 2016 Prairie Farms Holiday Classic, the Railers are now hoping to break even on Friday.

The day started with Lincoln facing the team picked to win the tournament, 4A powerhouse Edwardsville. The Tigers were 30 point winners the day before and most experts probably gave the Railers little to no chance of pulling of the upset of the top seed. Lincoln knew coming in that even a perfect performance might not be enough. Going in, the Railer coaching staff had a feeling Edwardsville would use a special defense against them. On cue, the Tigers employed a triangle and two to attempt to shut down Lincoln’s top two scorers in Isaiah Bowers and Bryson Kirby. By playing man-to-man defense on Bowers and Kirby with a triangle shaped zone by the other three defenders, it was almost a dare of saying ‘see if you can bet us playing three on three.’

“Their coach does a good job and the zone they play is an inverted triangle,” Coach Neil Alexander said with a grin. “Heck, I even googled it to see what an inverted triangle looked like; couldn’t find anything.” The tactic was to have defenders follow Kirby and Bowers everywhere they went, doing what they had to in order to prevent the pair from even getting a touch. In the end, the ploy worked as the duo combined to go 0-7 from the field with only a single free throw from Bowers. Alexander took a different spin on the defense. “I think they (Bowers and Kirby) should take it as a huge compliment, the fact they thought so much of them that they played that defense against them.”

So, if you’re Lincoln and you know you will get just a single point from those two, how do you battle?

You rely on a bit more from others and hope the game plan works. By the end of the contest, the Tigers (9-1) were advancing to the semi-finals while Lincoln prepared for a matchup with Decatur Eisenhower. “I think the kids did a great job in executing the game plan,” Alexander explained. “Folks don’t realize that when you are trying to limit offensive possessions for the other team, a high scoring team, you can play defense with your offense. Running time with the ball keeps the ball away and your offense can work as your best defense.”

Drew Bacon gave Lincoln their only lead by hitting an early three, but a 7-0 by the Tigers, including a dunk from AJ Epenesa put Edwardsville up for good. Nolan Hullinger, who tied for a team high 11 points, ended the run with another three, the first of three in his day. Edwardsville’s Oliver Stephen, who hit nine threes the day before, ended the quarter by hitting two from long range, including an off balance jumper from the left side over a pair of Railer defenders as the quarter ended. It looked like it could be the kind of game folks were expecting as the Railers trailed by nine at the end of the first quarter 15-6.

Scoring was at a premium in the second quarter as the teams combined for just eight points, but a basket from Ben Grunder, also leading with 11 points, and a three from point guard Titus Cannon, brought Lincoln back just a bit, down only 16-11 at the half. The third quarter saw a quick five from the Tigers on a basket from Epenesa and a backbreaking conventional three point play. The Railers were outrebounded 23-13 in the game, three of those coming by Mark Smith. After missing a layin, Smith got not one, not two, but three offensive boards, the third a tip in along with a foul. After the made free throw, the Tigers were back up 21-11, doubling the halftime lead.

Hullinger tried to keep the Railers in it, scoring the next five Lincoln points, cutting the lead to 23-16. Finally, after watching Kirby and Bowers run all over the place, trying anything to get any type of offensive freedom, Bowers was fouled and scored his first and only point with 2:20 left in the third. Edwardsville ended the quarter as they started it, scoring a quick five to take what seemed to be a controlling lead of 28-17. However, the game plan was still working and Lincoln started the fourth with their best run of the night. On the strength of four three pointers, the Railers went on a 12-5 spurt that closed the gap to four at 33-29 and in possession of the ball. Threes from Cannon, Hullinger, and a pair from Grunder got Railer Nation in increased voice and hope was back. But, down the stretch too many defensive breakdowns and giving up too many easy shots ended up being the Lincoln downfall.

Lincoln would not be any closer as Edwardsville closed the game on a 9-3 run, including a 7-10 performance from the free throw line. The Railers played well but, as they have learned from being that number one seed, the better teams find a way to win and the Tigers did just that. However, in the loss, the Railers found some options on the offensive end, forced to be there without the normal output of Bowers and Kirby. Lincoln committed only four turnovers while Cannon dished out seven assists without a turnover, all things you will take every night. On most nights, it’s what would have you pointed in the direction of a win.

Hullinger and Grunder led the way with 11 points, while Cannon added six. Bacon scored the early three and Bowers chipped in a lone free throw.

LINCOLN (32)

Hulllinger 4-11 0-0 11, Grunder 4-6 0-0 11, Cannon 2-3 0-0 6, Bacon 1-3 0-0 3, Bowers 0-4 1-2 1, Kirby 0-3 0-0 0. TEAM 11-31 1-2 32. 3pt FG 9-28 (Grunder 3-5, Hullinger 3-10, Cannon 2-4, Bacon 1-3, Kirby 0-3, Bowers 0-3). Assists 9 (Cannon 7), Rebounds 13 (Bowers 5), Turnovers 4.

EDWARDSVILLE (42)

Stephen 13, Epenesa 12, Smith 11, Strohmeier 6. TEAM 12-26 13-17 42. 3pt FG 5-15 (Stephen 4, Smith). Assists 8, Rebounds 23, Turnovers 5.

LCHS 6-5-6-15 32
E’VILLE 13-3-12-14 42

So, even though the day started with a loss, a lot of good things happened and it gave rise to belief that Lincoln could still put together a 3-1 record for the week and leave 2016 with very positive thoughts. Unfortunately, the game against Eisenhower only left a sour taste in the mouth of Railer Nation.

If before the game, I could have shaken my crystal ball and told you Lincoln would force 18 turnovers, go to the line 16 times, half of those in the fourth quarter, score 18 points in the paint, and the game feature a team being held scoreless in one quarter, by a show of hands, who would have thought anything other than a Lincoln win?

Yep, I’m right there with you. I think that’s why it was so surprising that Decatur Eisenhower defeated the Railers 38-31. There was not much that went right in the contest.

“There wasn’t a whole lot we did correct,” a frustrated Coach Alexander said. “There seemed to be a let down from playing the top seed, we didn’t execute the way we needed to, just a game that didn’t go our way.” 

A defensive switch by the Panthers (6-4) changed the course of the game. After the Panthers took the early 2-0 lead, the Railers found early success against the 1-3-1 defense. It felt as though Lincoln was in the right spots each time down the court. Lincoln tied the game on an early basket off the lob play from Kirby to Bowers. Two quick scores by Bacon put the Railers up 6-2. Eisenhower ran off five in a row to jump back in front 7-6. After Cannon scored on a drive down the lane off a nice inside pass from Bacon, it was Bacon going back to being a scoring threat with two more baskets, including a putback off an offensive rebound. At the end of the first quarter, the Railers were up 12-6 and things felt pretty good.

Then the second quarter.

Led by Eisenhower’s switch away from the 1-3-1 defense, the Railers seemed out of sorts. Turnovers, missed easy shots, lack of rebounding. You name it and it didn’t go well for the Railers as they were outscored over the eight minutes 11-0 giving the Panthers a 18-12 halftime advantage. The first half states bore out the way the first half looked and it wasn’t good. Lincoln shot only 30 percent, had not scored for over nine minutes, was looking for their three of the game, and had more turnovers (8) than made baskets (6).

“Well, not scoring in the second quarter was just a lack of mental focus,” Alexander said. “You have to find a way and we did not.”

The scoring drought from the field continued well into the third quarter, but it was contagious as it spread to the free throw line. Lincoln finally got back on the board with 6:51 left in the third as Bowers split a pair of free throws, a pattern that would continue for the junior the rest of the night. As try as they might, Lincoln could not get the lead back, having numerous chances to do so, but the free throw shooting was among the things that continued to let them down. Bowers split another pair to cut the deficit to 18-14 before an Eisenhower basket. Lincoln’s first field goal since the first quarter came with 3:05 to go in the third thanks to Cannon. Bowers again made the first and missed the second of two free throws before a basket from Bowers cut the lead to one at 20-19. His score was made possible after Cannon was able to tip his missed free throw, keep the ball alive, and then get the ball to Bowers.

After an Eisenhower free throw, Bowers made the first and missed the second, pulling Lincoln to within one again at the end of three at 21-20. Due to foul trouble, Lincoln was going to spend a lot of time at the line with the Panthers being in the bonus so early. Cannon had a chance to knot the game early in the quarter, but missed the front end of the one and bonus. Eisenhower started getting to the basket and getting easier scores, going up 25-20. Again, the free throw line was unkind as Cannon split a pair, cutting the game to four again.

Lincoln had one chance after another but didn’t take advantage. Bacon missed the front end followed by Cannon missing two. With Eisenhower committing yet another turnover, the Railers finally took advantage with Bowers scoring off a steal. Lincoln finally sank both free throws when Cannon brought the Railers within one at 26-25. However, it was more turnovers that did in the Railers, allowing Eisenhower to score off of them and take a 31-25 lead. With one final push left in them, Kirby hit his, and the Railers’, first three of the game with 41 seconds to go, making it 31-28. Forced to foul, the Railers watched the Panthers come through at the line with a pair before Bowers hit a three with 22 seconds to go, pulling the Railers within 33-31.

Once again, turnovers at the wrong time led to the final decision as Eisenhower scored the game’s last five, including a three point play off a steal, to bring an end to the contest at 38-31. I’m not sure what the fans in attendance at Vergil Fletcher Gymnasium thought at game’s end, but I can tell you my first reaction was ‘how did that just happen?’ After watching the way the Railers played earlier against top seeded Edwardsville, was it a major let down, fatigue, familiarity from a conference foe? It was hard to watch and may be even harder to explain.

Bowers was the lone Railer to reach double figures with 13 while Bacon had eight, but all of those in the first quarter. Cannon added seven with Kirby scoring the other three for Lincoln.

So, now the Railers, who hoped to go 4-0, but would have felt good about 3-1, now have to put forth quite an effort to just break even for the tournament. Lincoln will face off against the winner of the Quincy/Decatur MacArthur game, the late final game of day two of the tournament. Tip off for the final game of 2016 is set for high noon.

Which Railer team will we see? Either opponent presents different issues, but Lincoln will need to figure out who they are before worrying about who they are facing. Sometimes your toughest opponent is the one looking back from the mirror.
LINCOLN (31)

Bowers 4-10 4-8 13, Bacon 4-7 0-1, 8, Cannon 2-5 3-7 7, Kirby 1-5 0-0 3, Hullinger 0-3 0-0 0, Grunder 0-5 0-0 0, Morris 0-1 0-0 0. TEAM 11-36 7-16 31. 3pt FG 2-15 (Bowers 1-4, Kirby 1-5, Morris 0-1, Grunder 0-2, Hullinger 0-3). Assists 9 (Cannon 3), Rebounds 21 (Cannon, Bacon, Bowers 5), Turnovers 10.

EISENHOWER (38)

Bobbitt 10, Young 9, Taliferro 8, Jarrett 6, J.Jones 5. TEAM 14-31 8-12 38. 3pt FG 2-8 (Taliferro 2). Assists 7, Rebounds 33, Turnovers 18.

LCHS 12-0-8-11 31
EISENHOWER 7-11-3-17 38

[Jeff Benjamin]