EDWARDSVILLE – Freshman Matthew Wilson delivered a bit three-point play with 1:33 left in regulation, and a clutch three later on by Miccah Butler gave Edwardsville a come-from-behind 46-41 win over Belleville West 46-41 in a boys Southwestern Conference basketball game Tuesday night at Lucco-Jackson Gym.
The Tigers entered the fourth quarter trailing 35-28 but were able to come back and hit the clutch shots and make the key plays later on to even their conference slate at 1-1 and overall improve to 4-2 on the campaign.
“I’m proud of our effort,” said Tigers head coach Dustin Battas. “It was a hard game. Belleville West is good, they do a lot of things well, and we had a long stretch there, where were having trouble making baskets. We started the second half with a tip of the key three from Miccah, I felt like we were rolling, and then, we just had some trouble making some baskets around the rim, and piecing good possessions together. But to come back, being down seven against them, is a testament to our guys.
“We started having good possessions, taking care of the ball. And I thought our seniors made some big baskets. Tucker (Lindstedt), I’m really happy for him, because he works really hard. I challenged him a little bit at halftime to step forward a little bit. We have a lot of confidence in Tucker; he made a huge three. Brady (Niemi) a three, and Miccah obviously made a big three, and then, a freshman, gave us the lead. Matthew Wilson around the basket; it was a great assist. So, just a great team effort.
“Those Tuesday night games in the Southwestern Conference are big,” Battas continued. “Everyone’s ready for Friday nights, but those Tuesday night ones are really where you learn about your guys. I’m really proud of our preparation and proud of our effort.”
The fact that Wilson’s three-point play put Edwardsville up for good is a testament to him and his ability.
“I have a lot of confidence in Matt,” Battas said. “More importantly, our players have a lot of confidence in Matt. We had him guard (J’Dyn Lloyd), for them, who is their leading scorer, 21 points a game. I think he ended up with six points, and there’s probably not a lot for freshmen in the state that have been tasked with guarding a guy of this caliber. It’s two things: Matt being smart, tough, and competitive, but it’s also his teammates helping him, and helping him get in the right spot, rotating over quickly. But Matt is a very unique kid for a freshman, and we a very certainly happy that we have him, and mixed in with those older guys.”
The Tigers next face Alton at home on Friday, and it’s another big SWC game that Battas knows the Tigers will be ready for.
“I haven’t got to think much about them,” Battas said, “but I know it’ll be a big one. It’s here, hopefully, we’ll have a good crowd. Alton’s really good, they’ve got one of the best players in the state in (Semaj) Stampley, and Coach (Dylan) Dudley obviously does a great job. So, we’ll look at all that tonight and hopefully start putting together a good game plan together early this morning, have a good practice, and be ready to roll Friday evening.”
Battas continued: “Rowan (Weller) had a great night,” Battas added. “He took care of the ball for 32 minutes, he put a lot of pressure on the rim, and I thought he was great on defense. His eight points in the fourth quarter were big for us.”
Weller and Butler started out the game with a pair of baskets to counter one by Micah May to give the Tigers an early 4-2 advantage, and Edwardsville built the lead up to 10-4 on a three by Butler, forcing a West time out. Amauri Fenton converted a three-point play to make it 14-7 Tigers, which is where the score stood after one quarter.
A Wilson basket at the start of the second quarter upped the Tiger lead to 16-7, which became 20-9 when the Maroons started to rally. Baskets by Fenton and a late tip-in by Issac Jones, combined with good defense, allowed the Marrons to come back to forge a 22-22 halftime tie.
Bulter hit a three at the top of the key to give the Tigers a 35-22 lead at the start of the second half, but West came right back to take the lead on a pair of free throws by Fenton and a basket by T.J. Cason IV to go up 26-25. Cason then hit a three to put the Maroons ahead 29-25, but Niemi hit a three to cut the lead back to 29-28. Later baskets by both Lloyd and Cason upped the Maroon lead to 25-28 at the end of the third quarter.
In the final quarter, a Weller three cut the lead to 37-21, and the Tigers went on the comeback trail, eventually cutting the lead to 38-37 when on another Weller three. Both teams missed crucial shots during the stretch run, but Wilson hit a lay-in with 1:32 left, waw fouled, and converted the free throw to give Edwardsville a 40-38 lead, After a Maroon free throw cut the lead to 40-39, Butler hit his clutch three with 50.3 seconds left to extend the lead to 43-39, which the Tigers held on to the rest of the way, winning 46-41,
Butler led the Tigers with 16 points, while Weller hit for 12 points, Wilson had eight points, Devyon Hill-Lomax scored four points, and both Niemi and Lindstedt had three points each. Cason led West with 15 points, while Fenton hit for nine points, Lloyd and Jones had six points each, and May had five points.
The Tigers go to 4-2, and host the Redbirds Friday night, host Riverview Gardens Monday night, and play at Collinsville Dec. 19, all games starting at 7:30 p.m.
Dan Brannan also contributed to this story.
