Lincoln-Way West beat Joliet Central 81–44 in an IHSA Class 4A regional quarterfinal boys basketball game.
The game was played Feb. 23 at Lincoln-Way West High School.
Lincoln-Way West turned in a dominant showing, rolling past Joliet Central with crisp ball movement, strong rebounding, and suffocating defense. The Warriors shot 48 percent from the field and matched that mark from deep, piling up 22 assists while forcing turnovers and limiting the Steelmen to just 12 percent from three. Their rebounding edge, 37–24, kept possessions alive and fueled transition opportunities. The defensive pressure also produced seven steals.
Drake Been led all scorers with 17 points, while Aidan Bach added 14 to fuel the attack. Lincoln-Way West caught fire after halftime, drilling nine threes in the second half and finishing with 11 overall. Lincoln-Way West now sports a 15–17 record, a mark that reflects resilience through a challenging schedule and momentum heading into the next round.
Lincoln-Way West heads into tonight’s IHSA state tournament matchup at Lockport looking to flip the script after three earlier meetings this season.
The Warriors return to Lockport for the 6 p.m. tip on Feb. 25, their first visit since the Feb. 3 conference loss in which the Porters rolled 62–33.
