EDWARDSVILLE – Haeli Tart is emerging as one of the best girls basketball players in the Metro-East area, if not the entire St. Louis area. Tart scored 14 points to lead the Panthers in a tough 50-46 loss at Edwardsville Jan 28, 2025, at Lucco-Jackson Gym.
Tart is one of the statistical leaders for the Panthers, averaging 14.6 points and 5.2 rebounds-per-game, and the junior forward also has 87 assists, 84 steals and 16 blocked shots to her stat line as well. She also leads the team with her enthusiasm and positive energy, which was on display during the game.
After the game, Tart was frustrated with the loss, but was very happy with her and her teammates’ effort on the night.
“A little frustrated, as far as to take a loss,” Tart said, “but I’m glad we did play good as a team, and we didn’t turn on each other.”
O’Fallon was playing without head coach Nick Knolhoff, who was out ill, but the Panthers still played a very solid game, and played hard throughout the entire 32 minutes in a typically hard-fought Southwestern Conference game. Tart felt the effort was there within herself and all of her teammates.
The Panthers were also coming off an emotionally-charged win in the final of the 38th Highland Tournament, winning over Nashville 53-52 on a buzzer beating three. O’Fallon did come back well from that win, and played well, but just did come up short.
“I felt like that was a big win,” Tart said. “I’m glad we got that buzzer beater last minute. We couldn’t do the same tonight, but I’m glad we did try our hardest to the end of the game.”
The Panthers, just two years removed from the IHSA Class 4A state championship in 2023, are having a very good season at 17-7, and Tart is looking ahead to more good things for the team in the remainder of the season.
“Yes, I am looking forward to it,” Tart said. “This isn’t the last game of the season; we have much to look forward to, more to prepare for.”
There is a possibility that the Panthers and Tigers, who split their two regular-season meetings, might face each other again in the upcoming IHSA regionals in a rubber game of sorts. If so, Tart is confident about what the outcome might be.
“If we see Edwardsville again, our plan is to beat them the next time we play them,” Tart said.
Tart also has many goals and ambitions for both herself and the team for the rest of the campaign.
“For myself, I want to grow as a player, individually,” Tart said, “become better every single game, every single practice every time I get into the gym. As a team, I want to create our chemistry, and just be able to use each other the best that we can.”
She summed up everything in the evening with one very simple sentence.
“Just that we had a great game,” Tart said, “and we’re going to get them next time,” she said with a smile.
