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LINCOLN, Ill. (WCIA) — February 7, 2026, became an unforgettable evening at Lincoln’s Roy S. Anderson Gymnasium.
Neil Alexander, the veteran head coach of the Railers, celebrated his monumental 1,000th win, greeted by a heartfelt standing ovation and a commemorative plaque from the loyal hometown fans.
This achievement marked the culmination of nearly 50 years of dedication and hard work for Coach Alexander.
A multitude of players, assistant coaches, and members of the Lincoln community played pivotal roles in helping Coach Al achieve this historic milestone.
“It’s not something you accomplish alone,” Alexander remarked.
After more than 100 wins elsewhere, he arrived at Lincoln in 1990, hoping to continue the Railsplitters winning tradition.
“Try to keep the Lincoln High School basketball on the map because it was already here before I got here,” Alexander said.
Aiming for his team’s to be known as one one’s that don’t beat themselves.
“I want people to think that Lincoln’s a very good defensive team,” Alexander said. “They play together, they execute, and you have to play a solid game to beat them.” “We’ve been able to control tempo, control games, and come out on top most of the time.”
That play style, including a 1-2-2 press defense that’s a unique challenge to prepare for.
“Well, there’s not many teams that play zone anymore, and I think that’s a plus for us because, a lot of teams have to work on a zone offense.”
Alexander’s coaching tree includes branches bearing the family name.
Son Gregg is on staff at Lincoln, while Geoff is in year five as an assistant with the Illini. He has fond memories of growing up around the legendary coach.
“He drives people, drives kids, as far as the coaching style and all that,” Geoff said. “He demands a lot out of them. He holds them accountable.”
The current Lincoln team’s been driven to deliver the landmark victory.
“We knew how special it would be, and Saturday night was pretty special here at Roy S. Anderson Gym,” Lincoln senior Karson Komnick said. “For us to be that team and experience it, it’s really special.”
As you could probably guess, the game has changed a lot over Alexander’s decades on the bench, including the IHSA’s implementation of a 35-second shot clock that fully rolls out next season, something he sees as a positive evolution.
“It helps us both offensively and defensively, but if you’re not sharp and you’re not in the game, it can hurt you,” Neil said.
Geoff said his dad wants to coach at least a full year with the shot clock. Alexander is also within reach of Gene Pingatore’s state record 1,035 career wins, but Coach Al’s more interested in this season.
“I haven’t even looked at it. Really, I’m worried about tomorrow,” Neil said.
While it’s unclear when he’ll call it a career, he hasn’t lost his passion for hoops.
“Loves doing it,” Geoff said. “Loves going to the gym every day, spends, you know, from the time he wakes up to the time he goes to bed ,it’s still there, he’s still burning.” “He still wants do it, so as long as he wants to do it, I’m all for it.”
Lincoln has a 23-7 record as the regular season nears a close.
This is Alexander’s 26th team to reach the 20-win mark.