Railers celebrate senior night with 58-20 win over Prairie Central

 

[February 19, 2025]  LINCOLN -- It was senior night at Roy S. Anderson Gymnasium on Tuesday night as the Railer boys basketball team hosted the Hawks from Prairie Central. The start time of the game was pushed back to 7:30, but the visiting Hawks probably wouldn’t have minded if the game never started at all.

With a starting lineup of all seniors, Lincoln defeated Prairie Central 58-20 in a nice bounceback win following the Railers’ loss to MacArthur last week that snapped Lincoln’s winning streak at 10 games.

“We were just a little bit bigger than what they were,” Lincoln head coach Neil Alexander said after the game. “I thought we moved pretty well and were pretty active.”

In this game against Prairie Central, the Railers were never threatened. Lincoln won the opening tip and got a quick basket from Frank Sanders, On the other end of the court, Prairie Central broke the Railer press and got the ball to Lane Whitfill, who hit a spinning jumper underneath to knot the score 2-all. That marked the only time the Hawks were tied with the Railers, as Lincoln reeled off 17 consecutive points and led the rest of the game, holding a 19-4 advantage at the end of the first period.

After giving up only four first quarter points, one might wonder how Lincoln could do better than that. The Railers provided an answer in the second period, as Lincoln held the Hawks scoreless. The Railers tacked 13 unanswered points onto their lead and held a 32-4 advantage at halftime.

LCHS then flexed its muscles a bit more in the third stanza, putting up 22 points while holding Prairie Central to 10 in the period. The Railers have not shot three pointers as well as they are capable lately, but Lincoln got a trio of treys as Brody Tungate, Karson Komnick and Drew Hayes all hit from behind the arc for LCHS. Lincoln led 54-14 after three periods, setting the stage for a running clock in the fourth quarter.
 

Frank Sanders

Lincoln only managed two points in the final frame. The five seniors began the quarter on the floor for the Railers, and they did their best to give big man Frank Sanders two chances to hit a three pointer. After one attempt bounced off the rim and the other came up short, Coach Alexander replaced the five seniors for the evening. Prairie Central outscored Lincoln 6-2 in the period, but by then it was too little too late as the Railers won 58-20.

“They work hard, and they’re in the gym…all of them,” Alexander said of his five seniors. “I can’t say one’s any different than the other. They all have great attitudes and they’re all great kids.”

Gabe Smith

All five seniors notched points in the game, and it was a pair of seniors that led Lincoln in scoring. Sanders led all players with 11 points and Gabe Smith added 10. Fellow seniors Drew Hayes had eight points, Blake Horn contributed seven and Brady Miller tallied four.

In addition, Komnick had nine points, Brody Tungate chipped in with five points and Brett Hayes added a field goal for two points.

Spencer Ray led Prairie Central with eight points.

While Lincoln’s offense has improved with the return of the wounded and ill players getting healthier, the Railer defense has made things especially difficult as of late for opponents. The 20 points Lincoln allowed against Prairie Central was the lowest point total Lincoln has given up in a game this year. The Railers have given up 30 points or less in five of their last nine games.

The win moves Lincoln’s record to 21-9 as the Railers head to Champaign Central on Friday night for their regular season finale. Lincoln then has a few days to prepare for postseason play. The Railers open postseason play in regional tournament action on February 26 in a 7 PM game against Southeast at Southeast.

[Loyd Kirby]