And that number was 67.
For the third meeting of the season, the
Spartans scored 67 points and, as in the
previous two, came away victorious over the
Lincoln Railers, this time by a score of
67-57.
The Southeast win puts them into Friday
night’s sectional final against defending
state champion Champaign Centennial while
the Railers see their season come to an end
at 28-4.
Coming into the contest, Southeast certainly
had the mental edge, winning five straight
over Lincoln, including two 67-55 victories
earlier in the season. In both games, it
was the play of Southeast’s Michael Chandler
that made the difference.
In game one at Lincoln, the senior hit 15
of 17 shots, finishing with 34 points. Last
month, with the defensive focus turned more
to Chandler, he was able to distribute to
his teammates. He still finished with 20
points, but early on was more of a decoy.
On the game’s first defensive possession for
Lincoln, it was apparent the Railers were
going to make Southeast beat them from
outside. The top of the Railer zone was
packed back in, covering Chandler at times
with three Railers within whispering
distance.
Unfortunately, Southeast did beat them
from outside, hitting their first four three
point attempts. Jumping out to an early 8-2
lead, the Spartans were given clean looks
from just past the arc and they did not
miss.
Down 10-4, Lincoln scored four in a row
on baskets from Jordan Nelson and Nathaniel
Smith. When Nelson hit Lincoln’s only three
of the quarter to pull the Railers within
one at 12-11, not one person in the gym at
Centennial High School could have guesses
that would be as close as Lincoln would get
in the game.
Another five point run gave Southeast a
17-11 lead. After a Ben Brackney basket cut
the lead to four, Southeast’s Herman Senor
ended a perfectly played quarter
by Southeast by connecting from the top of
the key for the second of his two threes in
the opening period as the Spartans led 20-13
at the end of one.
The second quarter started no better for
Lincoln as Southeast scored seven of the
first nine points in the quarter. With
Southeast up 27-15, Lincoln showed their
only consistency from the offensive end. A
Brackney three followed by baskets from
Nelson and Smith and another from Brackney
brought the Railers to within three at
27-24.
Southeast stopped the run with a basket
to pull back up by five, but Nelson was
fouled just to the left of the top of the
key and connected on all three free throws.
With Lincoln down 29-27, it was Southeast
defense and sloppy Lincoln ball handling
that took all that momentum and gave it back
to Southeast in the final minute of the
half. Two Lincoln turnovers on dribbling,
either excessively and unnecessarily into
traffic, resulted in easy baskets for
Southeast.
What looked like a close one going in at
the half saw Southeast take a nine point
advantage into the half at 36-27.
The second half did not start any better
for the Railers. Just 16 seconds into the
half, Nelson was fouled again shooting a
three. Unlike the first time, Nelson
connected on just one free throw, preventing
Lincoln from stealing the momentum right
back.
On the next possession, Smith missed a
layup and it was looking more and more like
all the breaks, loose balls, close calls,
everything was bouncing Southeast’s way.
Just like the first quarter, Southeast
started from long range. When Rodney Smith
hit from outside, the Spartans had regained
their halftime advantage at 39-30. Austin
Kirby was able to get the Lincoln crowd back
in it by answering with his own three, but
it was like that all night.
When Lincoln would get to within six or
seven, Southeast would make a play to take
it back to nine or ten. Lincoln’s only other
scoring in the quarter came on two baskets
from Nathaniel Smith.
The Spartans (20-9) led at the end of the
quarter 49-37 and a lot of the credit goes
to their defense, holding Nelson and
Brackney to the single free throw from
Nelson in the quarter.
[to
top of second column] |
A quick basket from Southeast to open the
fourth quarter gave them their largest lead
of the night at 51-37. The Lincoln defense
did play better in the fourth. The intensity
was there, but it may have been prompted by
the desperation of being down 14 and not
wanting their season to end.
No matter what, throughout this season,
this team would not quit and Wednesday night
was no different. A Brackney free throw was
followed by Nelson’s second three of the
night to get Lincoln back down by only ten
at 51-41.
After the teams traded baskets, and down
12, Brackney hit for the last three of his
Lincoln career to make it 55-46. It was now
time for Nelson to take over. The junior
scored 14 of his game high 25 points in the
quarter, including nine in a row at one
point that featured a four-point play on a
made three and a free throw.
When Lincoln’s second all-time three
point shooter buried another one from long
range, the Railers were on the march and had
cut the lead to 60-55.
Southeast tried to help by struggling at
the free throw line, but again, the rebounds
would not find Railer hands. A furious
comeback in the quarter was furthered when
Smith hit from about 17 feet and Lincoln was
down 61-57.
Unfortunately, the Railers ran out of
time and luck as Southeast scored the final
six points of the game to win by ten at
67-57.
And just like that, the season is over. It
is not the way anyone in Railer Nation
wanted it to end.
Could this team have beaten Centennial?
Well, we’ll never know, but it sure would
have been nice to get the chance.
After the game, there were tears and hugs
whether it be players, coaches, fans,
families, everyone understood the hurt that
will last for a while. And if they didn’t
care, it wouldn’t hurt.
In this final game, Nelson led the team with
25, while Brackney scored 13 in his final
game as a Railer. Smith joined in double
figures with 12, while Brant Coyne added
four and Kirby scored three.
As disappointing as the end of the season
was, a lot of great things happened during
the season. From Coach Alexander reaching
the 600 win milestone to Brackney and Nelson
climbing the list in a number of all-time
and season statistical categories.
I invite you to look for a season wrap-up
early next week to look at some of the
accomplishments this Railer squad will be
remembered for.
Oh, speaking of numbers, here’s one that
hopefully will give you thought as you read
this:
257
That’s the number of days until the Railers
open the 2010-2011 season on the Monday
night before Thanksgiving. It will be here
before you know it.
LINCOLN (57)
Nelson 7 7-9 25, Brackney 4 3-4 13, Smith 6
0-0 12, Coyne 2 0-0 4, Kirby 1 0-0 3, Bowlby
0 0-1 0, Turner 0 0-0 0. TEAM 20 10-14 57.
3-point field goals 7 (Nelson 4, Brackney 2,
Kirby).
Southeast (67)
Chandler 14, Smith 13, Senor 12, Brooks 11,
Gardner 10, Jac.Anderson 6, Akuoko 1. TEAM
22 17-24 67. 3-point field goals 6 (Senor
3, Gardner 2, Smith)
Southeast 20-16-13-18
Lincoln 13-14-10-20
[Special report by Jeff Benjamin]
|
