High School Boys Basketball
Bulldogs beat out Railers 35-33 for Regional Championship

 

[February 25, 2023] 

Mahomet-Seymour defeated the Lincoln Railers on Friday night 35-33 to win the Class 3A Regional Championship hosted by Champaign Central.

The Railers had a 6-2 lead at the end of the first quarter as Aidan Gowin and Tyler Sasse each had 3s.

By halftime the Railers had a 16-12 lead with Gowin and Camden Nelson scoring 3s and Jake Bivin and Payton Cook scoring two-point field goals.

The Bulldogs wasted no time tying the game 16-16 early in the third quarter. Cook’s basket in the paint put Lincoln back on top 18-16. After Trey Schilling’s three the Railers were in front 21-18, as the two teams approached the midway point of the quarter. The Bulldogs tied the game again on a three with 3:40 left in the quarter. A minute later the Bulldogs took a 24-21 lead over Lincoln. Nelson’s three tied the game yet again as the two minute mark drew closer. Ki’on Carson gave Lincoln a 26-24 lead after his steal and layup. The Bulldogs answered quickly with a three and they had the lead back. Carson’s bucket in the lane flipped the lead in Lincoln’s favor, as the third quarter ended with a 28-27 score.

Nelson’s jumper started the fourth quarter scoring and Lincoln stretched the lead to 30-27. The Bulldogs would eventually take a 31-30 lead with 3:40 left in the game. Cook’s spin move in the lane put the Railers back up by a point with 2:48 left. Less than thirty seconds later the Bulldogs were up by one point, 33-32 the score. With a minute to go in the game, the Bulldogs scored on two free throws and they held a 35-32 advantage.

The Railers missed a three to tie the game with under a minute to play but with Drew Hayes getting fouled in the final thirty seconds of the game he had an opportunity at the free throw line. Hayes sank 1-of-2 free throws to inch the Railers closer. In the remaining seconds the Railers missed a couple chances for the win and the Bulldogs walked away with the regional win, 35-33 the final score.

The Railers end the season with a 26-6 record.

Mahomet-Seymour advances to the Class 3A Sectional Tournament with a 14-16 record.

Scoring

Lincoln 33

Nelson 8
Gowin 6
Cook 6
Carson 4
Schilling 3
Sasse 3
Bivin 2
Hayes 1

Mahomet-Seymour 35

Bohm 11
Eisenmann 6
Randolph 6
Waldinger 5
Dyer 5
Peters 2

[Teena Lowery]