CENTRALIA — The Alton Redbirds boys basketball team is preparing for a key matchup against Harding Academy on Tuesday night, Dec. 30, in the Centralia Tournament, a competition that coach Dylan Dudley says he always enjoys.
“I enjoy this tournament and also our fans like it a lot," Coach Dudley said.
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Alton, currently 7-3 overall, opened the tournament with a 69-39 victory over Chicago Julian on Monday, Dec. 29, 2025. Semaj Stampley, Ryan Howard, and O’Bryant Brown each scored 14 points in the win.
The Redbirds face a challenging second-round game against Harding Academy, which enters the contest with an 8-2 record. Dudley described the upcoming game as a tough test.
“Chicago Julian was talented, and Harding Academy is very athletic,” he said. “It should be a good game against Harding Academy.”
Dudley acknowledged the difficulty of the tournament with such high-caliber teams, but expressed optimism.
“We’ve done well, and we would like to do a little bit better,” he said. “This year, the teams at Centralia are no different than previous years; there are a lot of talented teams.”
Coach Dudley stressed the tournament is a good test each year for the Redbirds and prepares them for a tough Southwestern Conference season once the tournament is completed.
