On Saturday night in Trenton, Lance Stephenson had the game everyone was waiting for him to have since he entered Lincoln 18 months ago. The 6-4 sophomore led the Railsplitters with 42 points against one of the nation’s top teams.
“It was the best I’ve seen him play,” Lincoln head coach Tiny Morton said. “But I know he can do more.” That night, Stephenson’s performance wasn’t enough, as Lincoln lost to St. Patrick’s (Elizabeth), 91-74.
“I loved the way I played that game,” Stephenson said yesterday. “I felt like I dominated and everyone wants to dominate. But I hated it, too, because we lost. Plus, I know everyone knows now what I can do when I’m on my game.”
Stephenson’s transformation from hyped newcomer and heir to the Stephon Marbury-Sebastian Telfair Lincoln guard throne is still in the works. Yesterday, he sat out a 70-49 win over Sheepshead Bay in the first round of the PSAL Brooklyn Borough Championships with a sore right wrist. He should be back when the Splitters host Canarsie in the semifinals tomorrow.
“He’s in a different role this year than last,” Morton said. “Last year, he was more of a supporting player. Now, we need him to be more of a leader.”
Telfair slipped very easily into that spot, even as a freshman on an experienced team. But although he is not the general that Telfair was, Stephenson helped Lincoln to a PSAL title in his freshman season, something Telfair could not do. “I don’t care what happens, as long as we win,” Stephenson said.
The real test for Lincoln, the second seed in Brooklyn – behind Boys & Girls – won’t begin until the playoffs start later this month. “There’s a lot of pressure on us,” said senior Brandon Walters, who had 18 points and 14 rebounds yesterday. “Anytime you win, you want to win again.”
And Walters, a 6-8 post player who has committed to Seton Hall and is close to qualifying, knows that while Lincoln is one of the deepest teams in the city and Stephenson’s absence didn’t hurt yesterday, he’ll be needed in the postseason.
Walters was a freshman in Telfair’s senior season and is one of the few Railsplitters who can compare the two. “Sebastian was more of a leader, more of a playmaker,” Walters said. “Wherever he wanted to put the ball, he got it there. It was unbelievable. But Lance is a sophomore and has plenty of room to grow. You can see how badly he wants to be a great player.”
Morton hopes he grows into a point guard. The coach says that he already is, but his game is more scoring and less passing. “It was the other way around with Sebastian,” Morton said. “He could always pass it. I think I like this better. We’re going to turn him into an excellent passer.”