EDWARDSVILLE – Brady Niemi got the roll on a game-winning three with 33.5 seconds left in regulation, then was Johnny on the spot to steal a pass with 21.7 seconds to go, and it helped make the difference as Edwardsville won its boys basketball home opener Tuesday night, Dec. 2, 2025, over Springfield 41-29 at Lucco-Jackson Gym.
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The Tigers survived an early 12-0 run by the Senators, and made some excellent plays down the stretch to take the win, going to 3-1 on the young season. A challenge issued by Edwardsville head coach Dustin Battas helped spark the Tigers to come from behind.
“I came at our seniors during a time out in the third quarter,” Battas said. “I just thought they were they had a glaze in their eyes, we had a couple of turnovers, and I challenged them, just to make sure they were competing on every possession that mattered. And I thought at the end of the game, that senior experience, it really showed with Brady hitting that big shot, getting the steal, and Miccah (Butler) was sitting with some foul trouble, and he was really helping out. So, our seniors, yeah, they were getting on their heels in the third quarter, but at the end of the game, they stepped up and made some huge plays for us.”
Butler led all scorers with 21 points and made the big plays when called upon during the second half.
“Miccah was frustrated at halftime,” Battas said, “because he missed some shots he usually makes. I think a lot of his points in the second half ended up coming around the rim, which we’ve worked on, and he’s trying to be more assertive at the rim and stronger at the basket, because we all know he can obviously shoot from three-point distance. So I thought him getting to the rim, and controlling to get those in, made it much harder to guard him, and it was the spark we needed in the second half.”
It was a grind-it-out style that will serve the Tigers well in the Southwestern Conference season, which opens Friday night at East St. Louis.
“I told them last year, we were, like, 9-0 in one-possession games,” Battas said, “and games under five points, or so, it’s going to be big, because teams are playing well. So, we’re going to get better at late-game stuff, making free throws, and playing in late-game situations. But that’s a great game for us, it’s a good experience to play a game like this before conference play. I’m happy we won, and obviously, it means we have to work hard to get our guys better at the late-game stuff.”
Battas was very happy for Niemi, not only for his game-winner, but his heads-up defensive play at the end.
“I’m really happy for Brady on the defensive end,” Battas said. “He’s really dedicated himself, made the steal at the end. We know he can shoot; that was a big shot for him. That doesn’t surprise me much, because he works hard, and he’s obviously a good shooter. But for him throwing his neck on the line on defense and getting that big steal at the end was really valuable for us, so great game for Brady.”
To start the season at 3-1 is a good feeling for the Tigers, and Battas is very happy with how the team is looking at the moment.
“Yeah, we're happy with where we’re at,” Battas said. ‘The guys have been practicing well. We’ve had a kind of a strange 72 hours with the weather, and we haven’t gotten to practice as much as we would like to, but that’s not an excuse for anything. The guys are competitive guys, and the time we do get together, they take advantage of it. We had a good walk-through today, and I thought augmentally, we were good. We missed a few shots, but we were sharp, we were executing, and I think that’s a testament to our guys and how they prepare. I am just happy for the Tiger win, and we look forward to getting into the conference play on Friday.”
The two teams traded threes, Butler scoring for Edwardsville, to start the game, with Niemi scoring inside to give the Tigers a 5-3, and led 7-4 when the Senators scored back-to-back baskets to take an 8-7 lead after the first quarter. In the second quarter, Butler hit a three to tie the game 10-10, then Niemi hit another three to go on top 13-12. Then later, scored to give the Tigers a 15-12 lead at halftime.
Springfield opened the second half by going on an 11-0 run to give the Senators a 23-15 lead before a Niemi free throw made it 23-16. The Tigers came back on a strength of a Bulter three to cut the lead to 25-21, and then scored near the end of the quarter to cut the lead to 27-23 after three.
In the fourth quarter, free throws gave the Senators a 31-27 lead at the start. The Tigers came back to tie the game at 35-35 on a basket by Butler, and a three-point play by Niemi after a steal gave the Tigers a 38-37 lead. After a basket by the Senators, Niemi hit a three that hit the rim and bounced in to give the Tigers a 41-39 lead. Niemi then intercepted a pass with 23.5 seconds left. The Tigers did miss four free throws down the stretch to give Springfield a chance, but the Senators lost a chance to tie or take the lead, with the Tigers taking a 41-39 win.
Butler led the Tigers with 21 points, with Niemi adding 10 points,
The Senators are now 2-2, while the Tigers go to 3-1, and play at East St. Louis to start the Southwestern Conference season Friday night, then host Belleville West next Tuesday, and Alton Dec. 12, with all games starting at 7:30 p.m.
Dan Brannan also contributed to this story.
