EDWARDSVILLE – Belleville East’s boys Lancers are one of the best teams in the Southwestern Conference under talented Head Coach Jeff Creek.
Belleville East High’s boys basketball team is coming off a tough 57-51 loss to Edwardsville this past Friday and it doesn’t get any easier for the Lancers on Tuesday night, Feb. 11, 2025, as they travel to the 20-6 Alton Redbirds. However, the Lancers are hoping to finish strong to end the regular season.
The Lancers came back from a 12-point halftime deficit to come within one point in the game against Edwardsville on Friday night, Feb. 7, 2025, but The Tigers came up with the answers to hold off East in the game.
Belleville East’s Coach Creek was very satisfied with the defensive effort of his Lancers and their comeback against the top-notch Edwardsville squad from a 30-18 deficit at the half.
“Our defensive pressure picked up in the second half,” Coach Creek said. “We started hedging the ball a little bit harder, and the kids were just working. We did a little better job of rebounding in the second half, and that cut the lead. We just couldn’t quite get over the top.”
The Lancers are still having a good season, and are now 17-7 overall, and Creek still likes where his team is at this time.
“We’re right there.” Creek said. “We have to focus on Alton, who we play at Alton on Tuesday, we’ve got four conference games left. We’ve just got to be ready to go in each one of them with the playoffs coming soon.”
Creek continued and said: “Yes, the playoffs are right there. That’s what we’re trying to do, playing our best basketball before the playoffs. A lot of good comes out of this, I wish we would have won, but there’s a lot of positives to hang on.”
Creek is very confident of good things happening to his team in the stretch run.
“Well, I hope we win every game,” Creek said. “Hopefully, we’ll win out. I think we’ve got some tough opponents coming on but I just want us playing our best basketball.”
Jaden Coleman led the Lancers with 17 points, while Jacori Brown had 16 points for the Lancers against the Tigers.
Both Xavien Moody and Jalen Dawson had seven points each, James Johnson scored four points, and Troy Alexander and Savon Mitchell had three points apiece.
East hosts O’Fallon on Friday, Feb. 14, 2025, before playing at Belleville West Feb. 18, with all games also starting at 7:30 p.m.
