Parkland – 63
LLCC – 58
Lincoln Land travelled to Champaign to take on the Parkland Cobras looking to avenge an earlier season loss. The Loggers were unable to top the Cobras and Lincoln Land fell, 63-58.
Earlier in the season Parkland and the Loggers were playing a back-and-forth affair until the Cobras pulled away from LLCC over the last 5:00 of the contest. On Saturday afternoon, the Cobras were able to establish a lead early and were playing the better basketball in the first half. Parkland led by as much as 10 in the first half by outshooting the Loggers 52%-44%, which was the stat that gave Parkland the advantage. Lincoln Land did get back 3 points from that 10-point deficit and went into the half trailing 33-26.
Out of the half the Loggers were able to limit the Cobras scoring, only giving up 5 points for the first 9:00+ minutes of the second half. Lincoln Land held one lead in the first half at 2-0. The Loggers were able to grab a 40-38 lead with 11:30 to go after Jermale Young hit 1 of his 4 threes. Lincoln Land held the led for much of the next 6:00+ of game play until the teams were tied at 52 with 3:48 to go. The game started to come off the wheels for LLCC for the next 4 possessions. The Loggers failed to score on each of their subsequent possessions, while Parkland scored on 4 straight and went on a 9-0 run and held that 9-point lead with 1:13 left. The Loggers did get the next 4 points and had chances when Parkland went 2-10 from the free throw line in the last minute of the game. The best chance the Loggers had when they were fouled on a three-point attempt trailing by 6. Unfortunately, the free throw misses now hit the Loggers, who went 1-3 from the line to get within 5. The Loggers were unable to capitalize when Parkland again missed both free throws and did not get closer than the final of 63-58.
Jermale Young returned to his hometown area of Champaign-Urbana and had one of his best games of the season, hitting 4 threes and ending with 15 points. Camren Kincaid led the contest in scoring when he put in 20 points for the 8th time this season. Dane Foster led the game in rebounds with 9. Lincoln Land will now finish the season at or below .500 as they drop to 11-13 on the season with 2 remaining. Lincoln Land enters their last week of the season with a road trip to Rend Lake Monday and their final home game of the season next Saturday against Danville Area Community College.
