BOYS BASKETBALL: Links Pull Off Upset Of No. 5 Pius X

LINCOLN–(KFOR Jan. 14)–Through all sorts of injuries and illness, the Lincoln High boys basketball team found a way to stun one of the top-ten rated teams in the state on Friday night.

The Links got help Collin Nick, Vincent Garrett and Elvis Nguyen in a 56-54 upset of Class A No. 5 Lincoln Pius X at Bishop Flavin Gym in a game heard on KFOR.

Lincoln High (2-9) had one other win take place last week against Grand Island (a 41-39 victory over the Islanders) and coming into Friday night’s game with Pius X. Nick led all scorers with 19 points, while Garrett had a season-high 15 points and Nguyen finished with 12.

Momentum built up for the Links during the first half, where Nick and Nguyen combined for 25 of the team’s 28 points with five minutes left in the first half and a 28-20 advantage. Lincoln High led at the break 32-26.

Pius X (7-5) fell flat shooting toward the end of the third quarter and Lincoln High maintained a 48-40 lead.

With two minutes left in the game, as the Links were simply trying to run down the clock and the Thunderbolts closing in, Andrew Gaines hit a shot to give Lincoln High a 52-49 lead.

As the Links were holding on to a two-point lead with just over one-second remaining, an in-bounds pass was intercepted by Pius X’s 6-7 senior forward Jack Hastreiter, who then fired a three-point shot from just inside the center circle and fell short of the rim at the buzzer.

Sam Hastreiter led the Thunderbolts in the loss with 14 points.

Click the links below to listen back to Friday night’s game.

Lincoln High vs. Lincoln Pius X Boys Basketball 1st Half 1-14-22
Lincoln High vs. Lincoln Pius X Boys Basketball 2nd Half 1-14-22