ALTON – Two hundred fifty-five days after claiming the program’s first-ever state trophy, the Alton High School girls basketball team opened its 2025-26 season at home against the Breese Central Cougars.
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The Redbirds won 61-47 Tuesday night in front of a packed house, many of whom wanted to see what the team would look like without its dominant trio.
Alton took third place in the IHSA Class 4A state tournament last season and graduated three seniors who etched their names into the history books – Kiyoko Proctor, Talia Norman, and Jarius Powers.
Those three combined to score over 60 percent of Alton’s points last season, but the Redbirds are out to shock some people.
“They really don’t expect to miss a beat,” new Alton head coach Deiondre Riney said. “They expect to come in here and do everything, and that’s been motivating me. Every day they show up, they work hard and keep improving.”
It was the first win for coach Riney, who replaced Deserea Howard after she stepped down following a successful six-year run.
Alton and Breese Central flipped the lead four times in the first quarter, but it was the Redbirds who came out on top after eight minutes at 13-11.
They’d then open the second quarter on a 10-1 run to extend their lead to 23-12. From there, Alton led by double digits for nearly the remainder of the game, leading 30-17 at halftime.
Alton kept that same 13-point lead after three quarters at 49-36.
The Redbirds were led in scoring by Madeline Ducey’s 20 points. She made a team-high six three-pointers. Kaylea Lacey was the only other in double figures at 15. Lauryn Wimbley and Aryanna Anthony each had seven, Kyridas Orr had six, and Jakayla Steen had four.
Alton held the Cougars’ leading scorer, Taylor Trame, to 15 points. Trame entered her senior season having already scored 1,059 points and having committed to SIUE, where she’ll join Proctor.
Breese Central is also coming off back-to-back 30-win seasons, but graduated three seniors – Claire Albers, Kylie Rakers, and Cece Toennies.
Along with Trame’s 15 points, Lexy Santel and Lily Butler each had nine, Elle Nettemeier had six, and Lilly Henrichs had five.
The Cougars finished a 34-3 season last year, losing in the sectional championship to the eventual Class 2A winners, Nashville.
Alton also finished last season at 34-3.
The Redbirds won't return home for a little over two weeks. They’ll host Collinsville on Thursday, December 4, to open up Southwestern Conference play.
