It might have taken a game and a half, but Wilson freshman Alphonso Anderson finally got tired of getting beat up by Lincoln senior Tre’Shaun Fletcher.
Anderson exploded for 15 points – all in the second half – to lead the Rams to a surprising 52-49 upset victory over No. 2-ranked Lincoln at Lincoln High School.
When the two teams met on Jan. 9, Fletcher used his experience and seniority to score 34 points and grab 18 rebounds in an Abes’ victory. On Friday night, Fletcher had 11 at halftime, Anderson had none and Lincoln held a 27-21 lead.
“In the first half I couldn’t make shots,” said the 6-foot-6 Anderson. “In the locker room, my teammates picked me up. In the second half I got it together, and played like I usually play.”
Anderson beat Fletcher on several one-on-one post moves, eventually getting Fletcher to foul out. He also showed some poise at the line, nailing two free throws to give Wilson a 50-49 lead with 27 seconds to play.
Lincoln guard Ahmaad Rorie missed a 3-pointer, and the smallest man on the court was there to grab the rebound. Ivy Smith, Jr. was immediately fouled, and he drained both free throws with 9 seconds remaining to make it 52-49.
“I went and grabbed the ball, and held it,” said Smith. “I knew I was going to make those free throws.”
One final 3-point attempt by Lincoln was too strong, and Wilson had the upset. Lincoln was 0-for-15 on 3-point shots in the game.
Wilson (11-9, 5-6 Narrows 3A) entered play in fifth place in the conference. The Rams need to reach the top four to advance to the playoffs. The win over Lincoln was a big step for a team primarily made up of freshmen and sophomores.
“Our young kids took a big step to growing up today,” said Wilson coach Dave Alwert. “Last time we played them, it was like a rite of passage. They looked at them like big brothers. Little brother was ready to play today.”
Lincoln (15-3, 9-1) was led by Fletcher’s 17 points. Rorie scored 15.
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