Lincoln Rolling Again, Wins Fifth Consecutive City Central Title

The Lincoln Hornets entered Central League play a month ago with what for them could only be described as a woeful record. They were barely above .500 at 10-8.

Woeful? Not any more.

The Hornets knocked off No. 5 San Diego Friday night in the Cavers’ gym, 65-63, for their seventh consecutive victory.

And if it sounds as if No. 9 Lincoln is on a roll, well, you haven’t heard the half of it.

The Hornets now have won 15 in a row over San Diego. They have also won 29 consecutive league games.

Oh, and did we mention that with the latest link in the “W” chain, the Hornets have now won five consecutive City Central League championships?

They did thanks to Andre Toussaint, who with 10 seconds remaining grabbed a rebound of an errant Victor Dean jumper and put it back through to break a 63-63 tie created just seconds earlier by Clark James’ layup on the other end.

“In four years at Lincoln, it was the best shot I’ve ever taken,” Toussaint said. “A two-foot jumper.”

Toussaint got no argument from Coach Ron Loneski.

“Andre has been saying all year long that before the season is over, he’s going to be the man,” Loneski said. “And he wasn’t even starting at the beginning of the year.”

Toussaint continued: “I was just waiting on the weak side for the rebound. Hoping it would come off to me.”

Hoping? Actually the other Lincoln players were somewhat surprised that Dean, who has made a habit out of coming through in the final seconds in both football and basketball this year, missed his shot.

“Hey, but you got to crash the boards, anyway,” Toussaint said. “That’s the name of the game.”

Toussaint finished with 10 points. Darryl McMillan and Ken Garner led Lincoln with 14 apiece. James led both teams with 24.

While Toussaint came through in the end, it was Garner who gave Lincoln the early lead, scoring eight of his points in the first quarter to give Lincoln a 21-16 lead.

“With Joe (Temple) and Aaron (Wilhite, two Times All-County picks last year) gone, people thought we couldn’t do it, but we proved them wrong tonight,” Garner said.

Many, including those who assemble boys’ top 10s at the three metro newspapers--each had San Diego (14-4, 5-2) ranked ahead of Lincoln (17-8, 7-0)--felt the Cavers would atone for their early season loss at Lincoln and claim at least a tie for the league title.

But the Hornets had other plans.

“We had in mind that we weren’t going to share the title when we came in here,” Garner said.

Perhaps the most ecstatic with the victory was Loneski, who immediately jumped to his feet at the final horn and thrust up his right hand, all fingers extended, indicating his Hornets had just won five league championships in a row.

“I’m proud of these kids because when we were 9-8, everyone was burying us,” he said. “But these kids believed in themselves and they came through.”

San Diego held a seven-point advantage, 42-35, in the third quarter before Lincoln turned things around and scored 15 of the quarter’s final 19 points. That put Lincoln on top again, 50-46. And the Hornets held the lead until 20 seconds remained and James tied it.