Here are 3 takeaways from Lanphier's near upset against state-ranked Decatur MacArthur

Lanphier's Lober-Nika Gymnasium has had a storied history.

It ended with an exclamation point.

Decatur MacArthur, ranked No. 6 in Class 3A by The Associated Press, avoided the upset with a thrilling 56-55 Central State Eight Conference victory over host Lanphier on Friday.

MacArthur senior Chase Cunningham barreled down the floor and lofted the ball to 6-foot-7 senior teammate Makhi Wright for the game-winning alley-oop dunk in the final seconds.

It was something neither Wright nor MacArthur coach Terise Bryson had experienced before in a game.

“They ran the play perfect,” Bryson said.

Here are some top takeaways from MacArthur's dramatic win over Lanphier.

Lanphier roars to life

Lanphier (17-13 overall, 11-7 CS8) surged ahead 23-14 early in the second quarter and twice rallied ahead in the final minute after trailing by as much as 10 points in the third quarter.

100-point kids: A nostalgic look back at the team that christened Lober-Nika Gymnasium

Lanphier senior forward Austin Robinson emphatically scored a traditional 3-point play for a 53-52 advantage with 38.4 seconds left.

Wright answered with a go-ahead putback, but MacArthur teammate Azarion Richardson was called for the foul. That sent Lanphier sophomore guard JaiQuan Holman into the double bonus with 9.3 seconds left.

Holman calmly hit both free throws before Bryson dialed up the perfect call.

“Terise drew up a great play,” Lanphier coach Blake Turner said. “I don’t know how we lost Makhi right there. Our plan was to force the jump shot and keep them in front of us. They’re a great team and great teams find a way to win games like that.

“I’m just proud of my kids and the way they battled tonight. I thought for the first time in a long time we played like the team that I know we can be.”

Lions show postseason potential

Lanphier nearly toppled eventual 3A state champion Sacred Heart-Griffin in a 63-57 double-overtime loss in last year’s regional finals at Jim Belz Gymnasium.

Could Lanphier be a threat again in the postseason?

That appears resoundingly in the affirmative.

Lanphier, the No. 4 seed, starts the playoffs against No. 5 crosstown rival Southeast in the Rochester Regional semifinals on Wednesday, Feb. 22.

No. 1 SHG (25-3, 16-1 CS8) awaits the quarterfinal winner between No. 6 Rochester and No. 7 Springfield in the other semifinal. The regional championship is the following Friday.

“I think that tonight we showed that we can compete with anybody and that’s going to be our goal going into the regional next week,” Turner said.

Holman, battling an illness, mustered 19 points with three 3-pointers. Sophomore forward Shaun Hatchett Jr. added 14 points while Robinson had 11 points and 11 rebounds.

The Lions totaled 11 offensive rebounds and scored 17 second-chance points.

When they play downhill and fast, Turner said good things happen. Here, Lanphier was just one play or one bounce away from a spectacular farewell for Lober-Nika.

Lanphier will shift games to a new gym next school year.

“We wanted to play Lanphier basketball for our fans and I don’t feel like we’ve played Lanphier basketball all season,” Turner said. “I think that tonight we gave our fans something to be proud of.

“We gave the people that Lober-Nika Gym means something to be proud of and I think people will be excited about what’s to come with these young guys for next season.”

MacArthur maintains composure

The Generals (25-3, 16-2 CS8) found themselves in a dogfight and prevailed with postseason grit — Wright and Richardson in particular.

Richardson sparked MacArthur with nine of his 11 points in the second quarter for a 29-26 halftime lead.

Wright wreaked havoc inside with 22 points and seven rebounds. He also went 8 of 9 at the free throw line.

“Shaunassey, that’s a tough sophomore,” Wright said of the Lanphier bigs. “He’s going to be real good when he’s a senior. Austin, I’ve played with him in the summer. He’s really tough, too, but I know how he plays.”

MacArthur is the No. 2 seed in the Mattoon Regional. Apollo Conference champion Mount Zion (26-2) is the regional’s No. 3 seed. Both teams square off on Wednesday near the end of the regular season.

Bryson said senior Kris Walker’s screen set up the open lane and game-winning assist for Cunningham. Wright said Cunningham always throws a perfect alley-oop pass.

“It means a lot,” Wright said. “It just boosts our momentum for the postseason and we’re trying to win every game that we can.”

Contact Bill Welt: 788-1545, bill.welt@sj-r.com, Twitter.com/BillWelt

This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: IHSA boys basketball: Makhi Wright dunk lifts MacArthur at Lanphier