Lincolnview defeated Colonel Crawford 58-45 in the regional final, earning a spot in the state tournament and advancing to the state’s final four.
The win was fueled by a standout performance from Gavin Evans, who led all scorers with 19 points and took on the challenging task of guarding Colonel Crawford’s Payne DeGray, a 6-foot-5, 235-pound senior and football commit to the University of Saint Francis. Despite the size disadvantage, Evans held his ground as Lincolnview’s defense worked to disrupt the Eagles’ offense.
Lincolnview carried momentum throughout, building a nine-point halftime lead and extending it to as many as 14 points late in the third quarter. Zander Coil’s basket with 54 seconds remaining in the period pushed the lead to that margin and gave him 10 points for the game.
The night however, 10 seconds left in the third quarter Coil collided in the paint and went down. The team’s athletic trainer confirmed that Coil suffered a broken left collarbone, ending his season. He spent the rest of the game on the bench with his arm in a sling.
Coil had already made a significant impact, scoring eight points in the first quarter and helping Lincolnview establish early control. The Lancers will now have to adjust without one of their key contributors as they move forward.
Despite the setback, the team celebrated its milestone achievement together, rallying around Coil while embracing the historic win.
Lincolnview, now 22-5, will travel to Dayton on Friday for the state semifinals at the Nutter Center against Marion Local, a team making its second consecutive state tournament appearance. Tip-off is scheduled for 8 p.m. The trip marks Lincolnview’s first state semifinal appearance in a decade, a milestone that caps a season that has already surpassed many expectations.
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