ALTON – For the first time in over a month, the Alton Redbirds played a home game.
They hosted the Collinsville Kahoks in another huge Southwestern Conference matchup.
Collinsville came into the game having won just one out of its last six games but shocked the Redbirds with a come-from-behind 56-51 overtime win.
The Kahoks trailed 32-20 at halftime but used a 16-0 run that spanned the end of the third quarter and into the fourth to erase the deficit.
It was Alton’s first conference loss, falling to 5-1 in the SWC and 15-3 on the season. Collinsville improved to 9-9 on the season and 2-3 in the conference.
“Obviously it’s disappointing,” Alton head coach Dylan Dudley said. “But it’s just disappointing in the fact that you had the chance to knock them out. You’ve got to be mature enough, strong enough, and tough enough to knock a team out when you have the chance. We just didn’t do that. In the end, we couldn’t make enough plays in overtime to get over the hump to win the game.”
Tuesday’s game went into overtime tied up at 46. Collinsville outscored Alton 10-5 in OT.
“We want to win any road conference game we can,” Kahoks head coach Darin Lee said. “Just getting any road conference win this year is fantastic for anybody. It’s our first one, hopefully, we can get a few more.”
Kobe Taylor opened the game with a three-pointer but was quickly answered by a basket-and-one from Solomon Talbott. Hassani Elliot put the Redbirds ahead, but Collinsville’s Jace Wilkinson nailed a triple to take a 6-5 lead.
From there, Alton closed on an eight-point run to go ahead 13-6 after the first quarter. Back-to-back three-pointers from Semaj Stampley boosted the lead to 19-6 to open the second. Alton later led by 12 at halftime.
The Redbirds maintained that 12-point lead up until 38-26. But a three from Evan Wilkinson and baskets from Donovan Coates and Chase Reynolds saw the Kahoks close the third quarter on a seven-point run. Alton still led 38-33 after three quarters.
Stanley Carnahan scored two straight baskets in the post before Coates put down three free throws to give Collinsville a 40-38 lead. It forced Alton into a full timeout with 5:25 left in the game.
Carnahan scored again out of the break before Stampley converted on a basket-and-one to make it 42-41 Kahoks. The team then traded baskets with Coates and Reynolds scoring for the Kahoks and Taylor and Stampley scoring for Alton to make it 46-45 Collinsville with 1:36 left.
Elliot was fouled, sending him to the line with a chance to take the lead. He made one of two free throws to tie the game up at 46, forcing overtime.
“Like I told them in there, they deserved to get the game to overtime because they fought, but we didn’t deserve to win the game in overtime because they made more plays than we did,” Dudley said.
The opening play of overtime proved to be an early dagger.
After some nice ball movement, Coates was just about wide open in the corner, and he knocked down the go-ahead three-pointer to make it 49-46.
Stampley sent up a Hail Mary three-pointer on Alton’s last possession, but it was no good. The Kahoks went 7-for-8 from the free throw line in OT to seal the victory.
Coates led Collinsville with 22 points, but it was Carnahan’s second-half presence that really made the difference. He scored all 13 of his points in the second half.
“He was loading it in there,” Lee said on Carnahan. “It’s hurt us in games where he was in foul trouble. He was not tonight and in the second half, we just wanted to pound the ball in there and see what [Alton] wanted to do. We thought we could get some mismatches in the post with Stanley.”
That’s exactly what happened, and the Redbirds couldn’t seem to figure out his catch and spin move.
“He’s got one move, he turns over his left shoulder, he shoots a right-handed jump hook, and he keeps making it,” Dudley said. “Credit to [Carnahan], he gave his team energy.”
And Lee had some encouraging words about Coates’ performance as well.
“First quarter, he didn’t force anything. He played within himself, and we were able to work him in as the game went along and he had a great game. I thought that was his best game of the year.”
Coates is Collinsville’s leading scorer, averaging 19.4 points per game. Jace Wilkinson scored eight points and Talbott had seven.
For Alton, Stampley ended up with 23 points while Taylor and Elliot each had nine.
The Redbirds were outscored 26-14 in the second half.
“I was really proud of the kids. We kept our composure,” Lee said. “I was really proud of our shot selection from everybody. [Alton’s] pressure is withering, they really get after you.”
Collinsville continues SWC play on Friday when it hosts Belleville East. Alton travels to Edwardsville on Friday.
And despite the frustrating loss, the Redbirds aren’t going to change anything.
“We’re not going to panic. We’re not going to change our routine,” Dudley said. “They’re going to bounce back.”
