The Lincoln lantern news

March, 2016

 

Tigers Crowned 4A State Champions

By: Ari Talton   

(Dallas Weekly Writer)

 

They were supposed to lose this game to a team notorious for running up a score on opponents.

 

Fourteen losses made them a true underdog throughout the course of their playoff run.

 

When they squandered away a 15-point lead late in Saturday night’s championship game, the Silsbee fans began to roar and “here we go” began to echo from the burgundy shirts in the crowd.

 

But none of that mattered.

 

The Lincoln Tigers had resiliency on their side and never relinquished their lead. Even as momentum wavered back and forth, the Tigers never wavered in their aggression.

 

“We were supposed to lose this game by 30 points to lose yelled Lincoln sophomore Lamarsay Austin as he was adorned with his medal.

 

For Coach Cedric Patterson and his Lincoln team, the sweet taste of victory is all the more gratifying knowing that it was never supposed to be. The Tigers finished the regular season with 14 losses and entered state tournament competition with the worst record.

 

But again, none of that mattered.

 

“We just refused to lose,” says Patterson. “We said in the locker room that it didn’t matter how bad the game became - if there was time left on the clock we would fight.”

 

The Silsbee Tigers had a regular season record of 30 – 5, earning most of their victories by sizable margins. Their closest playoff victory this season was a 19-point win over Lufkin Hudson.

 

Perhaps Silsbee’s level of comfort with playing ahead was interrupted so severely by Lincoln that their attempts to recover were just too daunting. After a swift start and the release of jitters by both teams – the game really began to take shape. The back-and-forth first half made for an interesting game. To close out the second quarter, Lincoln scored three perimeter shots – two of those by senior, Adrian Baker.  

 

The first half ended with Lincoln up 37 – 24. Less than three minutes into the second half, Lincoln led Silsbee 50 – 33 and appeared to be poised to finish the task at hand.

 

There was a moment when the night became larger than basketball. Midway through the third quarter, with Lincoln leading 52 – 39, Silsbee player Devon McCain would lay motionless for several minutes after hitting his head on the hardwood. Lincoln athletic trainer Eric Dirk was the first to respond to the player shortly before game officials and paramedics would surround them.

 

“At that moment we were all concerned for the young man and for his family,” said Patterson. “We immediately gathered and prayed on his behalf.”

 

Although McCain’s unfortunate head injury and departure from the game left both teams concerned, the overall effort of both teams never ceased. In a post-game interview Silsbee Head Coach Joe Sigler applauded both teams for continuing to play aggressively to the end, in spite of the injury.

 

Lincoln ceased a late 3rd quarter lead of 15 and Silsbee cut it to six points. Seconds after the lead was trimmed to six, sophomore Kennedy Milton put Lincoln back up by nine points with a basket and a free throw conversion to end the third quarter.

 

The final quarter began with a 63-54 Lincoln lead. While Silsbee continued to inch closer, they never advanced to take the lead. With each basket or turnover Silsbee capitalized on, Lincoln returned to the other end of the court the very next play with aggressive moves toward the basket, resulting in either a score or a Silsbee foul.

 

Quickness and team ball allowed Lincoln to endure the very nerve-wracking final three minutes. Kortrijk Miles, the Tigers’ 6’4” junior who has played virtually every position this year, notched 28 points in the victory and was named the Most Valuable Player.

 

“The last few games taught us how to fight through adversity,” said Milton. “It got tough for us at the end, but we were able to fight through it and win.”

 

The Lincoln Tigers celebrated into the San Antonio night with their coaches, their respective families and the many supporters. This is the first title for the team since the 2002 team won state with a 40-0 record.

“We’re so proud of our guys,” says Lincoln Principal Chanel Veazy. “They definitely deserve this moment.”

 

(Dallasweekly.com March, 2016)

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