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	The Ypsilanti Courier A Heritage Newspaper Weekly Publication

Season ends on high note

Varsity opens districts with win

By Bruce Mason, Special Writer

PUBLISHED: March 15, 2007

Lincoln basketball head coach Mike Foley has a single philosophy: Coaches do not win games, players do.

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Foley considers himself just a part of the team.

However, the head coach didn't have those players to help him at the beginning of the season as three of his starters broke the Athletic Code of Conduct, and were ultimately dismissed from the team.

As a result, Foley was left plugging in new starters after 60 percent of his starting lineup was gone for good.

It was a struggle at first, as Lincoln dropped seven consecutive games falling to a 2–8 record.

But in the final nine games to close the regular season, Lincoln was above .500 with a 4–3 record and took that rising play into districts with a 52–43 win against Saline in district opener.

Railsplitters' sophomore Ryan Walton scored 20, sophomore Brian Cogdale added 12 and senior Aaron Hawkins, who Foley said was the "floor general," had eight points and six assists.

Despite the victory over Saline, the Railsplitters' season ended two days later in a 47-38 loss to Monroe Jefferson, but Foley said he is extremely excited about next year with the talent he has coming back.

"I can't wait to get it going," he said. "I think we'll be competitive."

Foley will lose four seniors, but only two starters in Hawkins and Brian Jennings.

Aaron Mitchell, one of the three players dismissed from the varsity squad, will return to compete with brothers Terell and Terrence Williams, a sophomore and a junior, respectively, for Hawkins' vacant starting point guard position.

Foley said his team learned a lot throughout this past season, and endured more than they'll ever go through in a basketball program.

"Instead of quitting, giving up, throwing in the towel," he said, "these guys fought back and won eight games.

"I was pleased with the hard work put in this year. They believed in the system, believed in the coaching staff."

Bruce Mason is a freelance sports writer for The View and Courier newspapers. He can be reached through editor@ypsilanticourier.com.