Taylorville beats Railers 54-53 in Double OT

[February 08, 2022] Lincoln hosted Taylorville Monday night in an Apollo Conference makeup game and it was the Tornadoes giving Lincoln their first loss in the conference this season. It was a battle that Taylorville won 54-53 in double overtime at Roy S. Anderson Gymnasium.

Lincoln held an 11-8 lead at the end of the first quarter. The Railers were guided by five points from Payton Cook, while Camden Nelson and Tyler Sasse each scored threes. 

Aidan Gowin poured in 11 points in the second quarter to lead Lincoln in scoring. Nelson added another three and with Elijah Pollice and Cook each scoring a bucket, the Railers were up 29-18 at the half.

Taylorville outscored Lincoln 18-7 in the third quarter and ended the eight minutes of play in a 36-36 tie. 

Each team struggled offensively in the fourth quarter and scored just five points apiece. The Railers were led by a three by Cook and two points from Pollice. Lincoln held a 41-39 lead with just under a minute to go. The Tornadoes scored in the lane with about twenty seconds left and tied the game 41-41. With Taylorville drawing the foul on the play, the Tornadoes had an opportunity to take the lead, but the free throw shot was missed. Taylorville pulled down the rebound and had another opportunity to go ahead but missed. Pollice would pull down that rebound and dribble to half court and throw up a shot that just missed and the game was headed to overtime.

In the first overtime, Pollice made two free throws for Lincoln and then it was Gowin under pressure at the line to tie the game with 40.5 seconds left and he did it! Gowin tossed in two free throws for the 45-45 tie and this score would send the two teams into double overtime. 

Taylorville scored a three to start the double overtime and take a 48-45 lead. Bivin chipped in a two to make the score 48-47. After Taylorville extended the lead to 50-47 on two free throws, Gowin tied the game on a three with 1:20 left to play. Twenty seconds later Pollice stole the ball and took it all the way to the hoop, scoring a layup and giving Lincoln 52-20 lead with a minute left to play in the second overtime. With thirty-five seconds left the Tornadoes took the lead again on a three, up 53-52. Pollice was able to secure a 53-53 tie after he sank 1-of-2 from the line with 23.5 seconds remaining. But down the stretch Lincoln would be called for a foul in the lane and that would send the Tornadoes to the line with 2.2 seconds left. With Taylorville able to go 1-for-2 from the line, the Tornadoes jumped in front 54-53. Pollice missed a desperation shot at the buzzer for Lincoln. His attempt from in front of the scorers table just missed and ricocheted off the backboard. 

Taylorville wins the whirlwind of a ballgame by a final score of 54-53.

Aidan Gowin led Lincoln with 19 points. Payton Cook added 12 points. 

Lincoln falls to 20-6 on the season. The Railers are now 8-1 in the Apollo Conference.

The Railers JV team defeated Taylorville 54-26. Trey Schilling led Lincoln with 11 points. The Railers JV team improved to 19-1 on the season. 

The Railers will play at Mount Zion tonight. The JV game will start at 6 p.m. The Varsity game will begin at 7:30 p.m.

Varsity scoring 

Lincoln 53

Gowin 19

Cook 12

Pollice 9

Nelson 6

Bivin 4

Sasse 3

Taylorville 54

Friedrich 21

Heimsness 13

Bitschenauer 12

Markwell 6

Howard 2

JV scoring

Lincoln 54

Schilling 11

Ki’on Carson 8

Miller 8

Stevens 7

Hayes 6

Meagher 6

Evers 5

Ka’ni Carson 3

Taylorville 26

Turney 9

Anthony 5

Clayton 4

Beckmier 4

McConnell 2

Wheeler 2

[Teena Lowery]