Teams

1987-88 (East St. Louis) Lincoln High School Boys’ Team

Year Inducted: 1995

Category: Teams

Schools / Organizations: (East St. Louis) Lincoln High School

Biography: 

Coach Bennie Lewis and the Lincoln Tigers captured state titles in 1982 and 1987, advanced to the Elite Eight in 1983 and the Sweet Sixteen in 1980 and 1986.  For their accomplishments, Lincoln became the winningest team (percentage-wise) in the State of Illinois during the 1980’s, going 188-30 during that period for a .862 mark.  How can they top that? – by winning the state title once again.  After all, the 1980’s weren’t exactly over.  In fact, the Tigers and Coach Lewis seemed to set new state and school records every time they appeared on the Assembly Hall basketball court.

Led by 6’9” All-American center LaPhonso Ellis (23 ppg, 19 reb, 7 blocks), who signed a letter of intent with Notre Dame over the University of Illinois, 6’1 senior point guard Lawrence Bradford (14 ppg) and 6’6 sophomore sensation Cuonzo Martin (13 ppg, 9 rebs, 6 steals), the Tigers became the first Class “AA” team to win back-to-back state titles (1987,1988) since the division of schools into two classes.  Lincoln is the only team to win three class “AA” championships (1982, 1986, 1987), and Coach Lewis had the honor of coaching all three state title games.

Ellis set records for blocked shots in both state (25) and school (310), and runner-up for Mr. Basketball of Illinois, beaten out by Eric Anderson, but Ellis defeated Anderson and Chicago DeLaSalle for the State Championship.  Sophomore sensation Cuonzo Martin set a new school record for most steals (163) and believe it or not, was already talking about a 3-peat.