(CHAMPAIGN) –– It’s hard to win a basketball game when you can’t get the lead and Lawrenceville High School’s boys’ basketball team never was able to get it in their semifinal contest at the IHSA Class 1A State Finals Thursday morning in Champaign.
The Indians’ bid for a fifth state championship in program history came up a bit short, as Lawrenceville lost to Goreville, 55-47, at State Farm Center on the campus of the University of Illinois.
“We got a little rattled at the beginning and dug an early hole,” LHS head coach Tad Shick said. “But, we didn’t quit playing. The guys fought hard, we just couldn’t get enough stops.”
Lawrenceville never led in the game, as their slow start allowed Goreville to open with nine straight points and force the Indians to play catch up the rest of the game.
A three-pointer by Jayden Goff broke the seal for Lawrenceville at the 3:44 mark of the opening period to make the score 9-3, but the Indians still trailed 15-7 at the end of the first period.
Another basket by Goff at the start of the second period made the score 15-9, then after the teams traded baskets, Zander Cessna buried a three-pointer to pull Lawrenceville to within 19-14 with 5:17 left before halftime, but that is as close as the Indians would get, as they trailed 24-19 at halftime.
Unfortunately, the Indians would endure another scoring drought to start the third quarter, going nearly five minutes without a point.
The Indian defense would keep them in the game, as they only allowed five points during that dry spell, so when Goff made two free throws at the 3:12 mark to end the drought, Lawrenceville only trailed 29-21.
That would be as close as the Indians would get, however, as they trailed 36-24 heading into the fourth quarter.
The margin reached 19 early in the final period before a 7-0 run pulled Lawrencevillle to within 43-31 with 4:35 to play. A basket by Jacek Mickiewicz pulled LHS to within 45-35 with 2:56 remaining and the Indians would get within nine on a couple of occasions late, but were unable to complete the comeback.
It was just the third loss of the season for the Indians, but the second to Goreville, as they also lost to the Blackcats 50-45 at the Benton Shootout Feb. 6.
“Goreville tries to make you uncomfortable and their defense took away a lot of our driving lanes,” Shick said. “Then when we you shoot it as poorly as we did, it makes it tough to beat a team like that.”
The Indians struggled from all areas of the floor, making just 15-44 field goals overall (34 percent), including just 4-20 (20 percent) from three-point range, while also making just 13-19 free throw attempts (68 percent).
Goff led Lawrenceville with 16 points, six rebounds, three blocked shots, two assists and one steal, while Noah Wilson totaled 11 points, three rebounds, three steals and three blocked shots. Cessna contributed nine points, three assists, two rebounds and two steals, Mickiewicz recorded six points and six rebounds, Emery Ivers tallied three points, four rebounds and two assists and Isaac Vennard added two points and one rebound.
Nick King led Goreville with 20 points, while Garrett Church was next with nine.
“I like the way we fought in the fourth quarter, but it just wasn’t enough,” Shick said. “The kids are disappointed because they wanted to play for a state championship. But, we still have one more game to play. We’ll try to finish strong and take home third place.”
Lawrenceville (34-3) will play Lanark Eastland (32-6) – who lost 66-38 to Chicago Marshall in the second semifinal – in the third-place game Thursday night at 7 p.m.
