WOOD RIVER - The Southwestern Piasa Birds' Ian Brantley is having a memorable 2023-2024 boys basketball campaign and had a very big game on Tuesday night as he poured in 40 points against the East Alton-Wood River Oilers.
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Southwestern led from the start, winning 77-61 over the Oilers at EAWR Memorial Gym.
Brantley has scored 21.3 points per game this season for the Piasa Birds and 8.4 rebounds per game. He is, without a doubt, one of the area's top boys basketball players this season.
Southwestern head boys coach Jason Darr said Ian indeed had "a huge game" against the Oilers.
"Ian did it being face-guarded a large part of the game," Coach Darr said. "He really did a good job grabbing offensive boards and capitalizing on put-backs as well. Ian was able get opportunities in transition as well as knocking down 15-17-foot shots as well.
"The mental and physical part of basketball can be very tough and Ian has improved in both aspects of the game this season. Our guys are focused on going after a conference championship as well as a 20-win season and are willing to do whatever it takes to achieve those goals."
Brantley is only a junior so he has another season for Coach Darr and the Piasa Birds.
The Piasa Birds led wire-to-wire, with quarter scores of 22-15, 45-25, and 66-43 after the first three quarters, with the Oilers outscoring Southwestern in the fourth quarter 18-11 to take the win.
Greyson Brewer added 12 points for Southwestern, while Ryan Lowis scored nine points, Rocky Darr had seven points, Connor Wood had five points, Logan Custer came up with three points, and Logan Keith had a single point.
Southwestern is now 17-8, while EAWR slipped to 3-22.
