Get The Latest News!
Don't miss our top stories and need-to-know news everyday in your inbox.
EDWARDSVILLE - Ryan Howard led Alton with 25 points, while Semaj Stampley added 19 points as Alton hit nine threes in the first half, and went on an 11-2 run to start the game, going on to a 73-44 win over Edwardsville in a key early-season Southwestern Conference game Friday night, Dec. 12, 2025, at Lucco-Jackson Gym.
The Redbirds hit their nine threes in the first half in building a 45-22 halftime advantage, and never looked back. Edwardsville kept plugging away throughout the game, but could never find the answers as Alton went to 4-2 overall, and 2-0 in the league.
"I thought it was kind of a perfect storm for us to weather," said Tigers head coach Dustin Battas. "They made nine threes in the first half, certainly, a couple of those were lapses on us on defense, but some of them were just unbelievable shots by Stampley. We were frustrated because we prepared for those things, and we could have executed our defense a little bit better, but credit to them for getting out to a lead, making 10 threes in the first half, that's 30 points right there.
"So, you're kind of behind the eight-ball, and then, you mix that in with us missing some shots around the rim, missing some free throws early, and I thought we were just never able to catch up. And once you get dug in that hole, so, a tough night for us, obviously, one of the better games they've probably played in a while. They played at a real high level, but it's a long season. So, it's our job just to practice, try to improve a little bit every day, and make sure that doesn't happen again."
The Tigers will be able to bounce back from the loss, with a home game against Riverview Gardens on Monday and a SWC game at Collinsville next Friday.
"You don't want to sit around and feel sorry for yourself much," Coach Battas said. "You want to practice, we want to get ready for Riverview Gardens, and we know we've got a big conference game on the road Friday at Collinsville. We feel like if we practice well, we have a chance to win both of those games. Then, the big picture, do that, and this game doesn't linger, and it doesn't have a big impact if you don't get back to work, and you try to get better every day in practice."
A game like that is certainly a cause for a gut check for the Tigers, and Battas knows his team will be ready for the challenges coming up.
"I talked to them," Battas said, "and a lot of our guys that haven't been in this situation before. Last year, we won 28 games, lost some close ones. So, even our experienced guys, like Miccah (Butler) and Rowan (Weller), Tucker (Lindstedt), didn't experience this at all last year. And I do think that's the best, is how you respond from this. Alton had a rough one last weekend at Mt. Vernon, and they obviously responded well.
"We need to make sure we respond well. But our guys have never been in a situation, so that will be a good test for us, and I think it will force some guys to maybe step up into some leadership-type roles. I think you learn a lot more about your team when they face some adversity than you do when everything's going well. So, I'm confident in our guys and how they go about their business. But it is a test for us to see how we respond to a game like tonight."
It will be a big game on Monday, and a big test to see how the Tigers respond to the loss.
"As coaches, we obviously know there are some things we've got to fix,' Battas said. Defensively, we're going to have to figure out maybe a new way to play, try some different personnel match-ups, which we knew some of those things going into the game. But as a coaching staff, you've got to figure out how to play with the guys that are in the game on offense and defense, and we're always evolving, trying to figure out who we can play, or what we can do to make baskets, and obviously defend.
"So, it's on the staff to figure those things out, and it's on the guys to show up, ready to give us everything they've got."
Alton jumped out and took control from the opening tip in front of a packed house at Lucco-Jackson, and never let go.
Howard scored the game's first eight points himself, on a three, a three-point play, and a basket to give the Redbirds an 8-0 lead, before free throws from Matthew Wilson and Butler cut the lead to 8-3. Stampley and Butler traded threes to make the score 11-5, but before the period ended, threes from Tysean Jones and Stampley helped to extend the Alton lead to 25-7 after the first.
The Redbird onslaught continued in the second quarter, as the Redbirds were able to extend their lead, but both Butler and Wilson did their best to bring the Tigers back into the game, both hitting tough shots But Brittan Clayton hit a big shot underneath, drawing a foul, and both Howard and Stampley stayed hot, helping Alton to a 45-22 lead at the interval.
Both Butler and Wilson continued to drive the Tiger offense, cutting the lead to 51-28 early in the third. Alton had other plans, though, and Jamaron Green, O'Bryant Brown, and Stampley all took turns taking charge for the Redbirds, as Alton took a 60-37 lead at three-quarter time. In the fourth quarter, Butler kept going for the Tigers, but a pair of Brown free throws after the halfway mark of the quarter gave the Redbirds a 70-39 lead, triggering the fourth quarter running clock rule. Alton ended up going on to their 73-44 win.
Howard led the way with 25 points for Alton, while Stampley hit for 19 points, Brown came up with 17 points, Jones had 15 points, Green scored seven points, Josh Lumpkins scored four points, and Jerry Brandon had two points. Butler led the Tigers with 24 points, while Wilson added 12 points, and Rowan Weller scored four points.
The Tigers fall to 4-3, and host Riverview Gardens of north St. Louis County, play at Collinsville on Friday night, both games at 7:30 p.m., then head into the Don Mauer Holiday Invitational tournament at Mary Institute-Country Day School in Ladue, Mo., over the Holidays.Dan Brannan also contributed to this story.
