EDWARDSVILLE — Senior-to-be Rowan Weller and sophomore-to-be Matthew Wilson helped Edwardsville take control early and pull away in the second half for a 60-44 win over Romeoville in the Tigers’ opening game of the NCAA Live Showcase on Friday afternoon, June 26, 2026, at Lucco-Jackson Gym.
Edwardsville, playing the first of four games in the showcase, played well on both ends of the floor and looked sharp from the outset in an event designed to allow players to showcase their skills to college coaches and recruiters.
Get The Latest News!
Don't miss our top stories and need-to-know news everyday in your inbox.
“The guys have been practicing,” Edwardsville head coach Dustin Battas said. “And this is the last thing we’ll do this summer. So, we’ve had a couple of weeks now to improve our execution, and I thought we did execute things well against their pressure, hit some back cutters, and got some space, and obviously, Rowan did a good job of facilitating that.”
Battas said he was pleased with how his team handled both the game and the responsibilities that come with hosting the event.
“We pour into the summer, use our 20 days, and try to tweak our offense as we go,” Battas said. “I’m proud of our guys. You worry about hosting the event; sometimes, it takes you away from the actual basketball part. You’re distracted at practice; yesterday, I was on my phone a lot, tying up some loose ends, and so, you’re always worried as the coach, and when the basketball game starts, how’s your team going to play? But I thought we played well against a good team.”
Battas also pointed to Edwardsville’s defensive effort against Romeoville guard Jamarri Fears.
“(The Spartans) have a really good guard (Jamarri Fears); his brother’s the point guard at Michigan State,” Battas said. “So, it’s a good test for us to play against a really good point guard that’s good with the ball, and I thought our guys played good defense on him.”
In the first of two 18-minute halves, the Tigers built an early 12-4 lead before Romeoville cut the margin to 14-11 just past the midpoint of the half. Weller, Zeek Brown and Michael Donald helped Edwardsville extend the advantage to 30-25 by halftime.
In the second half, Weller and Wilson led the surge as Edwardsville executed effectively on offense and defense. The Tigers stretched the lead to as many as 22 points before finishing with the 16-point win.
