After closing the season with several strong games, Joey Smith was limited to 9 points early in a semifinal loss to Elmwood.
By Jeff Lampe
A promising season of boys basketball for the Lincoln Trail Conference wound up short of regional glory last week.
After seeing league leaders Annawan and Kewanee Wethersfield eliminated in the quarterfinals, two of the LTC’s upper echelon this year reached semifinal games : Princeville and Monmouth United. And both were eliminated last week before reaching the finals.
United fell to Abingdon-Avon on Feb. 26 in the Class 1A Galva Regional, 46-37. Peoria Quest wound up winning the Galva plaque with a 57-43 victory over A-Town.
And at Princeville, the Princes (28-5) had to face the unenviable task of beating a good team for the third time in a semifinal showdown with Elmwood (24-7).
After two close regular season meetings won by Princeville – 42-40 on Dec. 14 and 48-45 on Dec. 28 – nobody expected a blowout in this Feb. 26 semifinal. But few picked Elmwood to be up by 12 points against the favored Princes on their home court with under four minutes left to play.
Yet that’s exactly where the Trojans stood in the fourth quarter after using stingy perimeter defense to frustrate Princeville’s outside game and relying on 6-foot-7 Braden McFall inside to stop the Princes’ dribble-drive penetration.
“The difference (between the semifinal and two regular season losses) was we had a lot better perimeter defense,” McFall said. “We were pushing them off their spots and making them uncomfortable.”
Agreed Princeville Coach Jeff Kratzer, “Their defense was unreal. They took our shooters away.”
McFall also had two dunks and 19 points to go with 13 from Centers, as the Elmwood frontline dominated.
Guard Andrew Marincic added 13 points for Elmwood, which looked to be coasting after going up by 12 following a free throw from the sweet-shooting sophomore.
Then, just like that, Princeville roared back. Elmwood suffered four turnovers and went 0-for-4 to help the Princes get within 49-48 on a Sam Streitmatter layup with 1:07 left. Princeville also got big points in its rally from Cody Thole (14 points) and Cole Daily (16 points).
With the crowd roaring and things looking bleak for Elmwood, an unexpected hero emerged. Senior Eli McKinty (6 points) made an open 3-pointer from the corner with 49.8 seconds left to give the Trojans enough breathing room to survive 2-for-6 free throw shooting in the final 30 seconds.
Said Kratzer, “That’s how you win big games like that. Somebody has to step up. And No. 3 stepped up big for them.”
Overall, the regional capped enjoyable seasons for both teams.
“We tied for the most wins in Princeville history with the (Princes) team that went to state,” Kratzer said. “Now, obviously, we play a lot more games than they did back in 1985. But that’s what the kids are going to remember 20 or 30 years from now – being on top of that list.”
Elmwood wound up just short of its second regional title, falling in overtime to Peoria Christian (25-8), 44-39.
