Tigers Rout Trojans in Rivalry Game

In a South Dallas rivalry that never loses its appeal, the Lincoln Tigers and the Madison Trojans matched up in a highly anticipated Tuesday night basketball game.

From the tip, the Tigers were undoubtedly the aggressors. They hustled to every loose ball; they scrapped for every rebound and they shared the ball well. There were moments throughout the first half when the Tigers offense appeared unstoppable.

Lincoln junior Brandon Cotton was everywhere in the first quarter. Both his energy and his ability to shoot from the perimeter kept Madison defenders scrambling. Cotton would finish the game with 19 points.

The Tigers (4-2) finished the first quarter up 27 - 11 and would never relinquish their lead. After a first quarter spent heavily relied on Warren Dunn’s inside presence, Madison (1-2) began to struggle getting the ball inside. A pesky Tigers defense that pressured turnover after turnover made establishing a consistent offensive flow difficult for Madison.

After a halftime score of 49 – 28, Lincoln showed no signs of letting up to begin the second half. The Tigers scored 24 points in the third quarter and held the Trojans to only eight. Lincoln senior Anthony Nealon showed no fear in repeatedly driving to the rim – he also finished the game with 19 points.

“Our kids played hard and we shared the ball well,” says Lincoln Coach Cedric Patterson. “We have to shoot better from the free throw line.”

The Tigers finished with four players in double digits. Freshman point guard Dorien Goodman contributed 16 points and senior Jalen Baker added 10 points.

To the Trojans credit, neither the coaching staff nor the players gave up. While the score was indeed lopsided, the effort was definitely there for both teams.

Lincoln completed the rivalry game with a winning score of 84 - 47.

Story: AriChristine | Photo: Miss Ari Photography