Basketball Recap: Lincoln County Takes a Loss

Lincoln County was not able to break out of their rough patch on Thursday as the team picked up their fourth straight defeat. They were three points away from ending the streak, but they lost a 55-52 heartbreaker at the hands of the Sissonville Indians. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest loss the Panthers have suffered since February 6, 2024.

Eli Smith

Points

02/27/25 vs Sissonville	23
02/25/25 @ Scott	24
02/22/25 vs Tolsia	23
02/21/25 @ Point Pleasant	25
02/18/25 @ Ripley	22

Despite the loss, Lincoln County still got an impressive performance from Eli Smith, who shot 41% from the field to rack up 23 points and eight rebounds. The match was Smith's fifth in a row with at least 22 points. Another player making a difference was Lucas Johaim, who posted two points in addition to nine boards and five assists.

Even though they lost, Lincoln County was working as a unit and finished the game with 19 assists. They posted eight more assists than Sissonville's also-impressive total of 11.

Sissonville's victory was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Drew Payne, who went 5-for-10 on his way to 15 points. Those 15 points gave Payne a new career-high. Luke Michael was another key player, shooting 57% from the field en route to 17 points and six rebounds.

Lincoln County's defeat dropped their record down to 2-18. As for Sissonville, they have been performing well recently as they've won three of their last four contests. That's provided a massive bump to their 6-15 record this season.

Lincoln County didn't take long to hit the court again: they've already played their next game, a 71-45 loss against Wayne on the 28th. As for Sissonville, they also wasted no time getting back out on the court and have already played their next matchup, a 57-44 win against Nicholas County on the 4th.