EDWARDSVILLE — Alton senior guard Justice Haynes, a key contributor to the Redbirds’ girls basketball resurgence over the past two seasons, said the team’s full-court pressure defense helped fuel a 28-3 campaign in 2025-26 after a 34-3 season and third-place finish in the IHSA Class 4A state finals in 2024-25.
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Haynes was one of the seniors on the Redbirds' team this past season. She helped anchor the Redbirds’ pressure defense.
“Our pressure is really what helps us get through everything,” Haynes said of the keys to the girls basketball season in 2025-26.
In addition to basketball, Haynes competed in track and field for Alton in the 2026 spring season. She posted personal-best times of 12.07 seconds in the 100 meters and 25.57 in the 200 meters. She also ran on a 4x200 relay team with Ja’Kayla Steen, Amayah Meeks, and Leah Hubbard that recorded a 1:48.81 time for seventh at the O’Fallon Sectional. She was also a key 4 x 100 relay member for the Redbirds.
Justice Haynes is an Auto Butler Female Athlete Of The Month.
Haynes also described the team’s daily approach in the 2025-2026 girls season.
“Our motto is just to go 1-0 every day. So, if we just keep that up, we’ll be back to where we were, and hopefully win,” she said.
Haynes said she focused on bringing energy to the team each day.
“I always tried to keep up my energy, to help the team,” Haynes said. “I brought what I could to each game and practice, and encouraged everyone to do well. I tried to go 1-0 every day with the rest of the team, and that led us to an excellent season.”
