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ALTON — The Alton Redbirds edged out the East St. Louis Flyers 52-49 in a tightly contested Southwest Conference matchup on Tuesday night at Alton High School. The victory improved Alton's record to 6-1 overall and 2-0 in conference play.
The game was marked by a series of lead changes, with both teams exchanging baskets in the first quarter, which ended in a 14-14 tie. The Flyers gained momentum in the second quarter, taking a 28-23 lead into halftime. They maintained their advantage through the third quarter, leading 39-32 heading into the final period.
However, the Redbirds rallied in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Flyers 20-10 to secure the win.
Alton coach Dylan Dudley praised his team's resilience, saying, "It was a hard-fought game, and East St. Louis makes it difficult on us. They have good players, but I'm really proud of our response. Our senior Kobe Taylor had a tough game, but sometimes you have to be a senior, and you have to take a deep breath; his response helped us turn the table and gave us some momentum."
Semaj Stampley led the Redbirds with 22 points, followed by Kobe Taylor with 12 points and Hassani Elliott with 10 points.
Dudley described Stampley as "the best player in the league and a top 50 player in Illinois," noting his dedication to winning and his care for his teammates.
On the opposing side, the Flyers were led by Montreal Stacker, who also scored 22 points, with Arlandis Brown contributing 13 points.
