No one saw Lincoln Park coming this season. The Lions have a first-year head coach, and most of the rotation didn’t play varsity basketball last year.
Sophomore Larry Harris, who slammed home the last points in Lincoln Park’s 62-55 victory against visiting Lindblom in the second round of the Public League playoffs Thursday, didn’t play basketball at all last season.
Harris started high school at Curie, then transferred to Lincoln Park, so he was allowed to practice but didn’t play any games. The 6-4 forward is a force in the post.
“I have always played down low,” Harris said. “I used to be one of the tallest kids, but then everyone kind of caught up to me. But I know how to play in the post.”
Harris had 23 points and nine rebounds. He scored 10 in the fourth quarter to help hold off a late comeback from Lindblom.
“Larry is just a tough kid,” Lincoln Park coach Josh Anderson said. “He’s savvy, locked in, a student of the game. He’s always listening and learning, and you saw the result of that out there.”
The Lions led for almost the entire game and opened up a 12-point advantage on a dunk by Harris with 6:45 to play. Lindblom stormed back and tied the game at 55 with 1:51 left after two three-pointers from senior Quentin McCoy.
But Lincoln Park (19-8) responded with two baskets from sophomore Ahmad Lee. Then the Eagles (16-10) turned the ball over on consecutive possessions in the final 35 seconds to seal their fate.
“At that point, it is about will and execution,” Lindblom coach Narvel Newson said. “We didn’t take care of the ball.”
Je’Shawn Stevenson, one of the state’s top scorers the last two seasons, was limited to 11 points and seven rebounds. Lincoln Park junior Chayse Turner was the primary defender on Stevenson.
“Chayse is our best defender,” Anderson said. “He’s long, lengthy and athletic and can guard from one to four. He played a heck of a game for 32 minutes.”
Lee had 14 points and five rebounds for the Lions, and Damian Pearson added eight points. The Lions will travel to Kenwood for an elite eight showdown Tuesday.
“These guys have been learning all year, and that’s all I ask for,” Anderson said. “I’m teaching, and they are consuming all the information. We’ll see how far we can keep on rolling.”
McCoy led Lindblom with 12 points and six rebounds. The Eagles, a senior-led team, had serious expectations this season. They believed they could win the city title.
“This is a very tough loss for us,” Newson said. “It’s rough. But we have to put things together and make a run in the state playoffs now.”
Lindblom doesn’t have another game scheduled before the state playoffs, which begin on Feb. 19. But Newson said he has one game left to play, so he’ll be looking for a matchup over the next two weeks.
