The Taylorville Tornado boys basketball team has been going through the gauntlet as of late, facing off against some of the top boys teams in the state and that continued with matchups against Mahomet and Lincoln on Friday and Saturday. 

On Friday, the Tornadoes started off the night against a tough Mahomet-Seymour Bulldog team that had yet to lose in the Apollo Conference.  Jackson Bohm, who had been kept in check with only 13 points against Taylorville the last time these two teams met up, went off and drained 32 points against the Tornadoes.  Taylorville did not have an answer for his attack. Nearly everyone else on the Bulldog team was kept in check, as Paxson O'Malley was the next closest scorer with 10, but the Tornadoes tried to do everything to slow him down, and when they did he found open guys who burned Taylorville. 

Taylorville trailed 22-19 at the end of the first quarter, in big part due to Blake Ladage and Brock Brown who scored 13 of the 19 points.  Bohm had 15 of the 22 from Mahomet. In the second quarter, Bohm continued pouring it on as he added 8 points which is all Taylorville could muster in that quarter as they were outscored 14-8 and Taylorville trailed by 9, 36-27 at the half. 

In the third quarter, Taylorville kept pace with the Bulldogs but the damage had already been done as the Tornadoes were outscored 20-15 with Brock Brown adding a couple of 3s and Jackson Bohm getting his 7 points. Mahomet's Parker Henry also got 7 points. Taylorville trailed into the fourth 56-42.  

The Tornadoes staged a mini comeback in the fourth quarter getting contributions from Brown, Brody McDowell, Kolton Reiss, and Wyatt Younker, but it was too little too late as the Tornadoes would lose a tough road matchup 69-60. 

Brock Brown was named the WTIM Nicole Patrick Country Financial Agent Player of the game for his hard work both on defense and on offense.

Taylorville again faced a tough battle on Saturday afternoon against a very good Lincoln Railers team.  The Railers took an early lead and never looked back as Brock Brown continued with his hot hand with six points in the first quarter, but Lincoln's Karson Komnick and Brody Tungate would drop 15 points and Tate Aue would add a couple of 3s as Lincoln dominated the first quarter 24-10.  

Heading into the second quarter, Lincoln continued their heavy domination outscoring Taylorville 16-7 as the Tornadoes could only muster one three pointer from Maddex Havera.  The team did go 4/8 from the line but that was the only scoring the Tornadoes could put together. LIncoln headed into the locker room with a 40-17 lead. 

In the third quarter, at about the 6:48 mark, Preston Short received a technical foul.  It is unclear as to why the foul occurred, but Short had been tripped up a little earlier in the third quarter. Less than a few moments later, it was Malique Pearse's turn to get a technical foul after he got caught up trying to guard Karson Komnick.  Pearse seemed frustrated at the foul call and was then ejected from the game and received another technical foul during Komnick's free throws. Taylorville would be outscored 19-12. with only Blake Ladage and Maddex Havera getting field goals. Taylorville would head into the fourth 59-29. 

In the fourth quarter, Taylorville got one three from Wyatt Younker but that would be it as they were outscored 14-3 in the fourth in the running clock.  Taylorville would give up 25 to Karson Komnick, and 17 to Brody Tungate.  Taylorville would get 11 from Maddex Havera and 9 from Brock Brown.  Blake Ladage would also add 7.  

Maddex Havera was named the WTIM NIcole Patrick Country FInancial Player of the game. 

Taylorville is next in action on Tuesday against Charleston.